Those skipped meals may damage the body’s functions. Researchers have discovered that diets that include fasting, extended periods without eating or drinking, may be associated with the development of heart disease and even some types of cancer.
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According to a recently published study, skipping breakfast may cause even more damage than previously thought. This peer-reviewed study was written by cardiovascular health researchers and medical professionals from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, in collaboration with a team from Harvard Medical School. Researchers said that after conducting their research on mice, they are able to see how skipping meals causes brain responses.
Their findings indicate that skipping meals triggers reactions in the brain’s immune cells.
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Skipping the first meal of the day, breakfast, may harm the immune system because the body will have trouble fighting off infection, the study found. The results of this study may lead to a deeper understanding of the long-term effects of chronic fasting habits. The researchers wanted to better understand how extended periods of time, whether 4 hours or 24 hours, of fasting would affect the immune system.
Child eating breakfast 2 (צילום: pexels)
To understand this, scientists observed two groups of mice. One group ate breakfast immediately after waking up, while the other group did not eat breakfast. The researchers took blood samples from the mice according to regular schedules; First sample after waking up, the second after four hours, and the third after eight hours.
The fasting group had a significant difference in the amount of white blood cells found. These cells, called Monocytesare produced in the bone marrow and travel throughout the body to help fight infections and diseases.
The study found that 90% of these specific cells disappeared from the bloodstream of the fasting group. The number faded even more after eight hours. However, these monocytes were not affected in the slightest.
The cells in the fasted mice returned to the bone marrow for “hibernation”, and to produce new cells. This will cause the cells to age differently than other cells of the same type.
The researchers continued the tests for 24 hours before returning food in an orderly fashion to the mice.
Once the cells return to the bloodstream after being dormant, the cells become inflamed, making it harder to protect against infection.
the leading researcher, Philip Swirskydirector of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said that “there is a growing awareness that fasting is healthy, and indeed there is much evidence of the benefits of fasting. Our study provides a word of caution because it indicates that there may also be a price for fasting.” health risk”.
“The research indicates the existence of a conversation between the nervous system and the immune system”
Dr. Swirsky added, “Because these cells are so important for other diseases such as heart disease or cancer, understanding how their function is controlled is critical.”
The research team also discovered that specific areas of the brain have direct control over these white blood cells and how they react during fasting. The researchers also found that fasting triggers a stress response in the brain, for example when someone feels “hangry” (hungry and angry at the same time).