Intermittent fasting may help in slowing or even reversing the signs of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests.
Researchers that eating in a 10-hour window each day can improve cognitive function as well as lessen the accumulation of amyloid protein, a hallmark sign of the disease.
For people who have breakfast at 8am, this would mean cutting off food at 6pm.
The study on mice also found that time-restricted eating caused improvement to their memories and sleep patterns, suggesting not only can the diet protect against dementia, it might reverse its symptoms.
Dr Paula Desplats, a neuroscientist at University of California San Diego and senior author on the study, said: ‘Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s has touched my family, and I always wanted to do translational science and somehow reach patients.
‘Time-restricted feeding is a strategy that people can easily and immediately integrate into their lives.’
Intermittent fasting may be the key to slowing or even reversing the signs of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests (Stock image)
Researchers noted about 80 percent of people suffering from Alzheimer's experience circadian rhythm disruptions, including difficulty sleeping and worsening cognitive function during the night.
The circadian rhythm is described as the body's 24-hour internal biological clock that regulates physiological processes including sleep, body temperature, metabolism and hormone release.
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Many times patients are seen waking up at odd hours in the night and being active while in a state of confusion- increasing their risks of being injured.
This disruption in their sleeping cycle is one of the major reasons why many Alzheimer's patients need residential care.
'We assumed that these circadian disruptions seen in people with Alzheimer's were a result of neurodegeneration, but it may be the other way around,' Desplats said.
'Circadian disruption may be one of the main drivers of Alzheimer's pathology.'
The study, published in the Journal Cell Metabolism, focused on the link between Alzheimer's and the circadian rhythm by placing a group of mice that had been genetically modified to develop a version of Alzheimer's on different feeding patterns.
The genetically modified mice were showing signs of poorer memories, hyperactivity in the night and HAD developed amyloid deposits in the brain.
While the control rodents were given food at regular times, those in the experimental group could eat only within a six-hour window each day.
It remains unclear if they were being fed in the morning or evening.
Researchers noted that about 80 percent of people suffering Alzheimer's experience circadian rhythm disruptions, including difficulty sleeping and worsening cognitive function during the night
There was no difference in quantity and nutritional value in the food. The experiment ran for three months.
At the end, results showed the mice that were forced to fast for 18 hours everyday showed changes in dozens of genes associated with Alzheimer's.
The rodents yielded better cognitive tests results, slept better and showed an improved circadian rhythm.
Furthermore, scientists saw a breakdown in pre-existing amyloid molecules and a decrease in the speed of their buildup.
'We started seeing that even the pre-existent amyloid plaques started to be fragmented and reducing size,' Dr Desplats noted.
Dr Paula Desplats, an author on the study, claims limiting the eating window could protect cognitive function
'And that implies they were being cleared by the system.'
The results indicated that intermittent fasting may reduce the development of amyloid molecules in the brain by regulating the circadian rhythm.
Intermittent fasting is an diet plan where you alternate between periods of eating normally and extended breaks when you eat little or no food.
The plan is known to help people lose weight and see improvements in chronic disease conditions.
Circadian rhythm fasting, a type of intermittent fasting, is a time-restricted schedule wherein a person eats all of their food across a span of hours in the earlier part of the day - ideally between a 12 hour window and fasts for the rest of it.
Disrupted circadian clocks are known to affect sleep schedule, body temperature, hormone levels and digestion but aligning the eating schedule with the body's natural circadian rhythm may bring balance to the clock and regulate brain function.
'By aligning food intake with the light-dark cycle, TRF effectively entrains peripheral circadian clocks and synchronizes them with the master clock.
In 2019, Jennifer Aniston shared her routine and said : 'I do intermittent fasting, so there's no food in the morning. I noticed a big difference in going without solid food for 16 hours.'
Apart from helping improve the circadian rhythm, this type of fasting can also lower blood pressure, lower fasting insulin levels and fasting glucose levels - in turn, helping diabetes patients.
Popular celebrities such as Beyoncé, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Aniston, Vanessa Hudgens, Jimmy Kimmel and Terry Crews are all known to follow the intermittent fasting diet plan.
In 2019, Aniston shared her routine and said: 'I do intermittent fasting, so there's no food in the morning. I noticed a big difference in going without solid food for 16 hours.'
At the time, she said she fasts every day and reserves Sundays as her 'cheat day.' She also works out five times a week doing activities like yoga and boxing.