According to researchers from the renowned health network Mount Sinaiin New York, the total or partial abstention of food for a certain time (behavior known as “intermittent fasting”) causes a significant decrease in white blood cells. This decline exposes the body to different heart conditions, fight inflammation and even cancer.
The doctor. Filip Swirski, An immunologist at Mount Sinai Hospital who led the study, stressed: “Because (immune cells) are so important for other diseases such as heart disease or cancer, it is critical to understand how their function is controlled.”
Intermittent fasting causes a 90% decrease in white blood cells
The researchers noted that, according to this study, skipping meals triggers a stress response in the brain that negatively affects immune cells. Furthermore, this work not only ruled out that intermittent fasting may be related to longevity, but also suggested that it may have the opposite effect.
Popular Diet Trends
Intermittent fasting has become one of the most popular actions among those looking to lose weight quickly. This diet consists of limiting caloric intake at certain times to lose weight and control eating habits.
Iterations include the 14:10 plan, where a person eats only within a 10-hour window each day for fourteen days, or the 16:8 plan, where the person must fast for 16 hours, leaving an 8-hour eating window. hours. In general, the start of these 16 hours begins at 8:00 p.m. and ends at noon.
In both plans, a person normally eats four to five days a week and then severely restricts their food intake to 500 to 600 calories on the other two to three days.
Celebrities with intermittent fasting
Among the celebrities who swear by the diet is Jennifer Aniston, who revealed in 2019 that she only consumes liquids in the mornings, reserving her first meal until noon. For her part, Mark Wahlberg revealed that she limits her food intake between 12 and 6 p.m. every day.
While intermittent fasting fundamentalists suggest that this diet promotes weight loss, reduces inflammation levels and may help people live longer. Dr Swirski remarked: “There is a growing awareness that fasting is healthy, and in fact, there is abundant evidence of the benefits of fasting. However, our study offers a caveat, as it suggests that fasting may also have a cost that carries a risk to health.”
In an interview published by the Dailymail, the immunologist stressed that “this is a mechanistic study that delves into some of the fundamental biology relevant to fasting. The study shows that there is a conversation between the nervous and immune systems.”
Adverse effects
According to the article published in the journal Immunity, the scientists divided the mice into two groups. One group received breakfast, the rodents’ biggest meal of the day, while the other group went without breakfast.
The scientists drew blood from the mice at the start of the study and at four, eight and 24 hours into the experiment to check for white blood cells produced in the bone marrow that fight infection, heart disease and cancer.
At first, all the laboratory rodents had the same number of these cells in their bloodstreams. But after four hours, the fasting group saw 90 percent of these cells disappear, and an even greater decline at eight.
The scans showed that the cells had returned to the bone marrow. The production of new monocytes in this area also decreased.
However, when this happened, the white blood cells returned to the bloodstream and triggered the inflammation generated as an immune response to the return of the blood cells. This response is a tactic used by the body to fight off parasites and other invaders.
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