Summary of Mount Sinai Research Finds Skipping Breakfast May Compromise the Immune System:
A study by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai suggests that fasting could negatively impact the immune system, leading to an increased risk of infection and heart disease. Researchers examined two groups of mice; one group had breakfast while the other did not and found that monocytes, white blood cells involved in fighting infections, decreased in the fasting group after four hours. The number further declined at eight hours. The altered monocytes that returned to the bloodstream after fasting were found to be more inflammatory, making the body less resistant to fighting infection. The study is among the first to link brain activity and immune cells during fasting.
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– A recent study by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai suggests that skipping meals can induce a negative response in the brain, leading to unfavorable consequences for immune cells.
– The study focused on two groups of mice, with one having breakfast while the other did not.
– Researchers noticed a significant difference in the number of monocytes-the white blood cells that travel through the body and fight infections, disease, and cancer-between the two groups of mice.
– Fasting can cause a stress response in the brain, which triggers a large-scale migration of these white blood cells from the blood to the bone marrow and then back to the bloodstream shortly after food is reintroduced.
– Specifically, in fasting mice, monocytes traveled back to the bone marrow to hibernate, diminishing the production of new cells in the bone marrow, leading to aging.
Skipping breakfast may not be as harmless as once thought, according to a recent study by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The study reveals that fasting may negatively affect immune cells, potentially increasing the likelihood of heart disease and the risk of infections.
The study utilized mouse models with two groups: one that ate breakfast after waking up (their largest meal) and the other that did not. Researchers collected blood samples in both groups when mice woke up (baseline), then four and eight hours later.
The study showed that fasting elicits a stress response in the brain, making people feel “hangry”-feeling both hungry and angry. This stress response triggers a large-scale migration of white blood cells from the blood to the bone marrow, then back to the bloodstream shortly after the food is reintroduced.
Specifically, researchers noticed a significant difference in the number of monocytes between the two groups of mice. Monocytes are white blood cells that play a crucial role in fighting infections, diseases, and cancer. Researchers found that 90 percent of the monocytes in the fasting group disappeared from the bloodstream after four hours, and the number further declined at eight hours.
Moreover, fasting can cause monocytes to travel back to the bone marrow to hibernate, diminishing the production of new bone marrow cells and leading to aging. The study showed that fasting can regulate this pool in ways that do not always benefit the body’s capacity to respond to a challenge, such as an infection.
The study aimed to understand how fasting affects the immune system, from a few hours of fasting to a more severe 24-hour fast. By understanding the mechanisms of the immune system, researchers can assist in developing potential treatment and preventative measures for infections and diseases.
The researchers emphasized that while the metabolic benefits of fasting are supported by evidence, their study provided a word of caution. Fasting may carry potential health risks, and understanding how the function of immune cells is controlled is crucial to reducing the risk of heart disease or cancer.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s study is among the first to make the connection between the brain and immune cells during fasting. By regulating the pool of monocytes, researchers hope that the study’s findings can lead to a better understanding of how chronic fasting may affect the body long-term.
In conclusion, the study reveals that skipping meals can induce a negative response in the brain, which impacts immune cells and can lead to unfavorable consequences. Keeping this in mind, we should pay close attention to our eating habits and aim to have a balanced diet to maintain optimal health.
