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A new study suggests that fasting can regenerate immune cells and clear out damaged ones, writes Nature World News.
New animal and human testing has revealed that cycles of fasting for two to four days can trigger regeneration of new immune cells, while getting rid of damaged ones, writes Nature World News.
Fasting can even protect against the toxic effects of chemotherapy, according to the study.
Fasting tells stem cells within the body to begin producing white blood cells, and in this way regenerates a person’s immune system as a whole. This happens because the person’s body is starving and thus, trying to conserve as much energy as possible. A side effect of this energy conservation is the obliteration of old, weak or otherwise damaged immune cells.
Previously, anyone looking to undertake a fast might have been given the advice to embark on a period of no food only if completely healthy. Now, it appears that advice may be incomplete. According to the study, elderly people and people in poor health might be the ones to benefit most from prolonged fasting. However, the researchers warn that any attempts at fasting should still be overseen by a person’s doctor.
The scientists who performed the study say the results are “remarkable” and indeed, the outcome contradicts previous conventional wisdom. Now it appears that fasting restores a damaged immune system and mitigates the harmful effects of chemotherapy. As with most stand-alone studies, more research is needed to determine whether these results can be replicated and therefore scientifically sound.
Agencies/Canadajournal
