fasting-Mimicking Diet Shows Promise in Reducing Inflammation for Crohn’s Disease Patients
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A new study suggests a specialized diet mimicking the effects of fasting may significantly reduce inflammation in individuals battling Crohn’s disease, offering a potential complementary approach to traditional treatments. While not a cure,the research indicates notable biological changes in patients following the diet,sparking further inquiry into its therapeutic potential.
Less than half of patients in a control group experienced improvements in thier symptoms, likely due to the natural ebb and flow of Crohn’s disease and continued standard medical care. However, those participating in the fasting-mimicking diet demonstrated measurable reductions in key inflammatory markers.
Biological Markers Respond to Dietary Shift
Researchers focused on several biological indicators of inflammation, including C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin.The study was inspired by prior research demonstrating the diet’s ability to lower C-reactive protein levels in individuals with elevated baseline levels. “The effects seen on inflammatory markers made this an appealing diet to study in Crohn’s disease since many patients with this disease also have elevated inflammatory markers,” a lead researcher explained.
The team discovered a notable decline in fecal calprotectin – a protein in stool indicative of gut inflammation – among those in the fasting-mimicking group compared to the control group. Participants on the diet also exhibited reduced levels of inflammation-promoting lipid mediators derived from fatty acids. Moreover, immune cells from the fasting group produced fewer inflammatory molecules.
Researchers are now investigating the potential role of the gut microbiome in mediating these benefits. “Our goal in collecting these and other biospecimens was to dig deeper into why there’s this differential response,” a researcher stated. “Can we find mechanisms to explain the findings and signatures that might help predict patients who will respond to the diet?”
mild Side Effects Reported
While the diet showed promising results, it wasn’t without side effects. Some participants reported experiencing fatigue and headache, but no serious adverse events were documented.
Ongoing Research and Future Directions
The study’s authors,including Chiraag Kulkarni,MD,and Touran Fardeen,from Stanford Medicine,emphasize that further research is crucial. Researchers from the University of Southern California and the University of California, San Francisco, also contributed to the work. “There’s still a lot more to be done to understand the biology behind how this and other diets work in patients with Crohn’s disease,” a researcher concluded.
Notably author Valter Longo, PhD, holds an equity interest in L-Nutra, the provider of the fasting-mimicking meals, and has filed patents related to the diet.
The research was supported by grants from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the National Institutes of Health (grants UM1TR004921, 2L30 DK126220, T32DK007056, K08DK134856 and NIDDK R01DK085025), the Plant Based Diet Initiative at Stanford University, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, the Doris Duke Foundation physician Scientist Fellowship Award, a CZ Biohub Physician Scientist Scholar Award,
