Intermittent Fasting Provides Defense Against Liver Inflammation and Liver Cancer

Intermittent fasting provides defense against liver inflammation and liver cancer because an approved drug for these diseases can partially imitate the effects of intermittent fasting. Fatty liver disease frequently progresses to chronic liver inflammation and may result in liver cancer. Recent studies in mice demonstrate that intermittent fasting, following a 5:2 schedule, can effectively arrest this progression. This fasting regimen diminishes the incidence of liver cancer in mice already afflicted with liver inflammation.

Date	May 7, 2024
Source	German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ)
Summary	Researchers have pinpointed two proteins within liver cells that collaborate to engender the protective benefits of fasting. Furthermore, an approved medication exhibits the capacity to emulate this effect to some extent.

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About The Liver Diseases:

The most prevalent chronic liver condition is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can have severe implications. If left unaddressed, NAFLD can progress to liver inflammation, known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), liver cirrhosis, and potentially liver cancer. Fatty liver disease is predominantly perceived as a direct consequence of obesity.

Experiment: Intermittent Fasting Provides Defense Against Liver Inflammation and Liver Cancer

Watch Here: What does the liver do?

Experiment	Observation	Conclusion
The animals(mice) were provided with a diet high in both sugar and fat, resembling the typical Western diet.	One set of mice had unrestricted access to this diet. As anticipated, these mice experienced weight gain, increased body fat, and developed chronic liver inflammation.	During the exploration of various intermittent fasting regimens, it became evident that several factors such as the frequency and duration of fasting cycles, along with the timing of the fasting phase initiation, influence the safeguarding against liver inflammation.
On the other hand, the mice in the alternate group underwent a dietary regimen where they fasted for two days a week for 5:2, while being allowed to eat huge on the remaining days.	Despite consuming a high-calorie diet, these mice did not exhibit weight gain, displayed fewer indications of liver disease, and demonstrated reduced levels of biomarkers associated with liver damage.	From this analysis, two key components driving the protective response to fasting were identified: the transcription factor PPARα and the enzyme PCK1. These molecular entities collaborate to enhance the breakdown of fatty acids and gluconeogenesis while impeding the accumulation of fats

Role of Approved Drug:

The medication pemafibrate emulates the actions of PPARα within the cell. Is it possible for this substance to replicate the protective benefits of fasting as well? To address this inquiry, researchers conducted experiments in mice. Pemafibrate prompted certain beneficial metabolic alterations akin to those observed during 5:2 fasting so the researchers can say that the intermittent fasting provides defense against liver inflammation and liver cancer

Intermittent fasting provides defense against liver inflammation and liver cancer through controlled periods of fasting, the body undergoes metabolic shifts that contribute to the reduction of liver inflammation and the inhibition of cancerous growth.

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