The researchers investigated the influence of intermittent fasting on the beta cells. Within the pancreas of mature mice, no adverse results on the beta cells had been noticed (right here stained inexperienced). Credit score: Leonardo Matta / TUM
A latest research reveals that age performs a major position within the outcomes of intermittent fasting. Researchers from Technical College of Munich (TUM), LMU Hospital Munich, and Helmholtz Munich found that power intermittent fasting disrupted the event of insulin-producing beta cells in younger mice. The findings increase issues about potential dangers for people, particularly youngsters.
The analysis is printed within the journal Cell Reviews.
“Intermittent fasting is known to have benefits, including boosting metabolism and helping with weight loss and heart disease. But until now, its potential side effects weren’t well understood,” says Alexander Bartelt, the Else Kröner Fresenius Professor and Chair of Translational Dietary Medication at TUM.
Within the research, the group reveals that intermittent fasting throughout adolescence may have long-term adverse results on metabolism.
Fasting improves metabolism in older mice, however not within the younger
The researchers studied three teams of mice: adolescent, grownup, and older animals. The mice remained with out meals for someday and had been fed usually for 2 days. After 10 weeks, insulin sensitivity improved in each the grownup and older mice, that means that their metabolism responded higher to insulin produced by the pancreas. That is key to regulating blood sugar ranges and stopping circumstances like kind 2 diabetes.
Nonetheless, the adolescent mice confirmed a troubling decline of their beta cell perform, the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Inadequate insulin manufacturing is linked to diabetes and disrupted metabolism.
“Intermittent fasting is usually thought to benefit beta cells, so we were surprised to find that young mice produced less insulin after the extended fasting,” explains Leonardo Matta from Helmholtz Munich, one of many research’s lead authors.
Langerhans islets after power intermittent fasting. On the left these of an grownup animal, on the best these of a younger animal. The beta cells of the pancreatic Langerhans’ islets produce insulin. The Langerhans’ islets of the younger animal exhibit fewer totally matured beta cells, that are stained inexperienced on this picture. Credit score: Leonardo Matta / TUM
Faulty beta cells resemble these of kind 1 diabetes sufferers
The researchers used the newest single-cell sequencing to uncover the reason for the beta cell impairment. By analyzing the blueprint of the pancreas, the group discovered that the beta cells within the youthful mice didn’t mature correctly.
“At some point, the cells in the adolescent mice stopped developing and produced less insulin,” says Peter Weber from Helmholtz Munich, additionally a lead writer. Older mice, whose beta cells had been already mature earlier than the fasting started, remained unaffected.
The group in contrast their mouse findings to information from human tissues. They discovered that sufferers with kind 1 diabetes, the place beta cells are destroyed by an autoimmune response, confirmed related indicators of impaired cell maturation. This means that the findings from the mouse research may be related to people.
“Our study confirms that intermittent fasting is beneficial for adults, but it might come with risks for children and teenagers,” says Stephan Herzig, a professor at TUM and director of the Institute for Diabetes and Most cancers at Helmholtz Munich.
“The next step is digging deeper into the molecular mechanisms underlying these observations. If we better understand how to promote healthy beta cell development, it will open new avenues for treating diabetes by restoring insulin production.”
Extra data:
Leonardo Matta et al, Power intermittent fasting impairs β cell maturation and performance in adolescent mice, Cell Reviews (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115225
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Technical College Munich
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Intermittent fasting might be unsafe for youngsters: Mouse research finds impaired cell improvement (2025, February 14)
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