People have known the health benefits of fasting for millennia. But it was not until recently that researchers discovered the physiological mechanisms behind what happens when the body is deprived of calories for an extended period of time.

In a recently published paper, researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital found that fasting reduces the amount of monocytes. These are white blood cells that increase inflammation, which is a precursor to a myriad of other problems.

Miriam Merad, MD, Ph.D. said “Monocytes are highly inflammatory immune cells that can cause serious tissue damage.” She is the Director of the Precision Immunology Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Therefore, researchers believe fasting can reduce the rates of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. All of these are strongly linked to inflammation, likely caused by monocytes.

Health Benefits Of Fasting Has Been Known For Thousands Of Years

Fasting is a common practice in many cultures, both ancient and modern.

Christians fast during Lent to commemorate Christ’s 40 day fast in the desert. Muslims fast for a month during Ramadan to celebrate Muhammad’s first revelation. Jews have numerous fasts throughout the year, such as those practiced during Yom Kippur and the Days of Atonement. Hindus fast on certain days of the week, depending on the region and which god they are dedicating it to.

The Buddha preached its virtues while traveling through the Kashi region of India around 500 BCE. He said “Not eating a meal in the evening I, monks, am aware of good health and of being without illness and of buoyancy and strength and living in comfort.”

Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician known as the father of modern medicine, prescribed it to his patients. Paracelsus, a Swiss physician during the Renaissance known as the father of toxicology, described fasting as the “physician within.”

Some Native American tribes even fasted to boost vitality before going into battle.

Today, fasting has become popular in Western countries. Diets such as 5:2, the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and One Meal a Day promise an array of benefits.

While fasting is common, people knew little of what was actually happening to the body to produce such a wide range of benefits.

Inflammation and Monocytes

In their paper published in the journal Cell, researchers from Mount Sinai explained fasting produces a sharp reduction in acute and chronic inflammation.

Inflammation happens when the body is injured or infected. When this happens different types of white blood cells produce numerous chemicals to heal and protect the affected area, causing increased blood flow and swelling.

However, inflammation can damage the body, making it a precursor to other problems. For example, inflammation is strongly linked to cancer, strokes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, etc.

In an article published in Scientific American, the author explains neurodegenerative diseases are likely caused by inflammation of the neurons. The author claims “both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may be the results of neuroinflammation—in which the brain’s immune system has gotten out of whack.”

The author of this study from the journal European Cardiology Review states “increasing evidence has shown that inflammatory pathways are the principal, common pathogenetic mediators in the natural course of diabetes.”

This study shows that the “link between chronic inflammation and development of tumors is well established.”

While the body of academic literature shows a clear link between inflammation and serious health problems, researchers are still not sure why one leads to the other. Merad claimed “the mechanisms by which reduced caloric intake controls inflammation have been poorly understood.”

However, Merad and others looked at the impact of intermittent fasting on both human and mouse cells. They found that the longer the cells were deprived of calories, the more of a drop occurred in the amount of monocytes in the blood.

The researchers also claimed that during a period of fasting monocytes become much less active. Merad claimed they were put to sleep and became much less destructive than those that were fed.

Overall, the researchers believe the anti-inflammatory effect of fasting may reduce the rates of a broad spectrum of diseases. Therefore, they encourage further investigation into how this can add to the already known health benefits of fasting.

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