On May 2, 2018, Men’s Health explored research by 2013 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star Award in Aging Research recipient Valter D. Longo, Ph.D.
“Can Intermittent Fasting Actually Improve Your Health?” explores the growing body of research on the health benefits and safety of intermittent fasting.
The article highlights a 2014 study done by Dr. Longo and notes that during a four day fast, “both the mice and the cancer patients discarded old blood cells; once the fast was broken, their bodies produced shiny, new cells to take the place of discarded ones, thus effectively regenerating their immune systems.”
Based on this research, Longo’s study concluded “that prolonged periods of fasting could reduce the harsh side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients…or even boost immunity for healthy people,” Men’s Health notes.
While intermittent fasting is generally considered safe for healthy people, Longo does not recommend that people fast more than 12 hours at a time; instead, he recommends a five-day fasting mimicking diet that includes soup, crackers, and tea.
A related article in Big Think notes Longo’s explanation of the health benefits of fasting. “Fasting, Longo argues, forces the body to use its store of fat, ketones, and glucose. It also breaks down a lot of white blood cells, forcing the body to regenerate new immune system cells.”
Read the article in Men’s Health and the article in Big Think here and here.
Dr. Valter Longo is the Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California, Leonard Davis and the Director of the USC Longevity Institute.
