It improves gut health and helps us manage our weight. It is intermittent fasting, a dietary pattern that alternates periods of fasting with periods of eating and that has gained popularity for its potential health benefits. Supporting evidence also comes from a recent study, published in Nature Communications and coordinated by Arizona State University, whose results help improve our understanding of the complex relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolism and pave the way for the development of potential dietary interventions effective against obesity and metabolic diseases.
The role of the gut microbiota
The gut microbiota is the community of microorganisms that inhabit the intestine, namely bacteria, viruses, fungi and more. This complex ecosystem plays a crucial role both in essential bodily functions and in overall health. Among its various tasks, in fact, it helps break down food, produce vitamins and promote the absorption of nutrients. It also plays a role in the development and functioning of the immune system and regulates metabolism, influencing body weight, fat accumulation and insulinHormone produced by Langerhans island cells of the pancreas. It stimulates the entry of glucose into the cells, subtracting it from the blood and thus lowering blood sugar. It induces the use of glucose both to produce energy and for the synthesis of glycogen and fats. sensitivity.
• the muscle is slowly replaced by adipose tissue (fat),
• the junctions between muscle and nerve fibres (neuromuscular junction) tend to degenerate,
• muscle oxidative stress increases.
) che si verifica sia con l'invecchiamento sia in altre condizioni, come in seguito a diete ipocaloriche.
The link between diet and microbiota
Previous research has already shown how certain eating patterns, for example caloric restriction and intermittent fasting, can influence weight as well as the composition of the gut microbiota, although the effect has still not been fully clarified. “A healthy gut microbiota is essential for overall health, particularly in the management of obesity and metabolic diseases,” explained Karen Sweazea, one of the study’s authors. “Gut bacteria influence how we store fat, balance glucose levels and respond to the hormones that make us feel hungry or full. Alterations in the gut microbiota, therefore, can lead to increased inflammation, insulin resistance and weight gain, underscoring the fundamental role of gut health in the prevention and management of metabolic disorders.”
Low-calorie regimens compared
In the study, the researchers involved 41 people (27 women and 14 men) with overweight or obesity, divided into two groups on the basis of the proposed dietary intervention: one group followed a healthy, low-calorie diet, in the style of the Mediterranean diet based on US dietary recommendations, while the other followed the IF-P regimen, that is, the combination of intermittent fasting and protein pacing, which could be rendered as “protein stimulation”. In detail, this is a high-protein diet that involves controlling the intake of protein at regular intervals, while intermittent fasting limits food consumption to certain times on some days.
The researchers monitored the participants over a period of 8 weeks and compared the effects of the low-calorie dietary patterns in both groups. In particular, they focused on assessing gut microbial composition, inflammatory molecules called cytokinesCytokines are small proteins produced by the immune system, which bind to specific receptors present on the cell membrane and communicate to the cell a specific set of instructions such as, for example, the stimulus to grow, or to differentiate or even the order to die. They are produced by different types of cells and, once released in the body, induce specific reactions in adjacent cells (paracrine effect), in others far away (endocrine effect) or in those that have created them (autocrine effect)., SCFAs (metabolites derived from dietary fiber, important for regulating energy balance) and the metabolome.
The help of intermittent fasting and protein supplementation
The analyses showed that those who followed the intermittent fasting regimen experienced a significant reduction in gastrointestinal symptoms and an increase in beneficial gut bacteria, particularly of the Christensenellaceae family. These bacteria, according to the researchers, are associated with better fat oxidation and metabolic health. The group that followed the Mediterranean-style low-calorie diet nonetheless showed an increase in metabolites associated with metabolic pathways that promote longevity.
Although both groups received a similar average weekly energy intake, the intermittent fasting group recorded greater weight loss and fat reduction: the percentage of lean body mass increased, while initial body weight decreased by an average of 8.81%. By comparison, those in the Mediterranean-style low-calorie diet group lost an average of 5.4% of their body weight. In addition, with intermittent fasting, levels of cytokines associated with weight loss increased, as did by-products of amino acidsAmino acids are the basic substances that make up proteins. Each protein is characterized by a precise sequence of amino acid "bricks". Some are produced by the body by processing food, others, which the body cannot synthesize, must be taken directly with food. that promote fat burning.
Although further research is needed, these results underscore the potential of intermittent fasting and high-protein diets to improve gut health and weight management. “This line of work holds promise for creating personalized health strategies because, by identifying the specific changes in bacteria, functional pathways and associated metabolites, we can better tailor nutritional regimens to improve gut function and metabolic outcomes,” concluded Alex Mohr, first author of the paper.
