Intermittent fasting boosts metabolism according to new study

We always hear that one of our top health priorities should be the optimization of metabolism through specific types of exercise and other strategies such as intermittent fasting. But what does it really mean? Many people badume that it's about weight loss, but if our metabolic health affects our ability to maintain a healthy weight, it's much more than that.

In fact, the official definition of metabolism is "the chemical processes that occur in a living organism in order to maintain life". Pretty wide, right? This means that burning fuel to produce energy, using the nutrients we eat to support important bodily functions, and even creating DNA technically, falls under the "metabolism".

There are many ways to boost our metabolism in the traditional sense of the term – HIIT workouts, consumption of specific foods that boost metabolism, and consumption of a ton of water – but the One of the most exciting, by far, is intermittent fasting. One study at a time showed that IF is an effective way to lose weight and boost metabolism. New research has been published in the latest issue of Scientific reports shows that IF is a good way to boost metabolism in the broad sense of the term.

In this study, a group of scientists from the University of Graduate Studies of the Institute of Science and Technology of Okinawa (OIST) and the Kyoto University identified a series of markers metabolic factors that usually decrease with age. They then discovered that fasting increases the number of these markers, which can protect our health in many ways. The specifics of this study become quite complex, but essentially, when we starve ourselves for a while, metabolites such as butyrates, which possess anti-inflammatory properties, are released, as well as chemicals such as purine and pyrimidine, which are important. for gene expression and protein synthesis.

The results of the study also showed that fasting increased the production of antioxidants, molecules that prevent age-related diseases and their decline. This last discovery was interesting because we knew for a long time that fasting could promote longevity, but we have not yet identified all the reasons. The production of antioxidants in the body during fasting could be an explanation.

Dr. Takayuki Teruya, first author of the study, explained: "These are very important metabolites for maintaining muscle activity and antioxidant activity, respectively," said Teruya. "This result suggests the possibility of a rejuvenating effect by fasting, which was not known until now."

So, what is the relationship at home? Fasting can certainly help us lose weight and maintain healthy muscles, but it also affects the more complex metabolic processes going on in our body, especially those that promote long-term health and longevity. We do not know about you, but it seems like a great excuse to read and re-read our beginner's guide to intermittent fasting.