What is the connection between fasting and the immune system?
There has been lots of research in recent years on fasting. It’s a bit of a strange concept. The concept of not eating. How can NOT eating improve our immune system? But there’s lots of evidence that shows that when we are fasting, it is actually helping to regenerate and rejuvenate our whole immune system. This is one of the key aspects of fasting. Fasting actually helps to improve our immune system.
There are other studies that show that fasting can increase the activity of monocytes, of macrophages, of natural killer cell activity. So fasting actually helps to increase the activity of parts of the immune system which are helping to fight off any type of infection and work on defending our system. So it helps to ensure that our defenses are strong.
Fasting has also been shown to effect the cytokines, in terms of that whole inflammatory response of the immune system. It helps in terms of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. Fasting helps to decrease cytokines that are more pro-inflammatory to ensure that there is no excess damage to tissues. Fasting helps to modulate the immune system, the immune system is rejuvenated, and that the immune system is working at its best and that the defensive part of the immune system is working really well.
Therefore fasting is a great tool to be using to enhance the immune system. There are many different ways to do fasting. The most common one is intermittent fasting with 18 hours of fasting and a 6 hour eating window. It’s best to switch it up and not do the same thing every day. There are great books about fasting. I’d recommend a book by Dr. Jason Fung, a medical doctor from Toronto called The Complete Guide to Fasting. This is a great book that goes through the science of fasting and also gives you practical tips.
References:
Brandhorst S et al. (2015). A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance and healthspan. Cell Metabolism, 22(1), 86-99.
Hiramoto K, Homma T, Jikumaru M, Miyashita H, Sato EF, Inoue M. Fasting differentially modulates the immunological system: Its mechanism and sex difference. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2008;43:75–81.
Faris MA, Kacimi S, Al-Kurd RA, Fararjeh MA, Bustanji YK, Mohammad MK, et al. Intermittent fasting during Ramadan attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells in healthy subjects. Nutr Res. 2012;32:947–55.
