Scientists Discover Link Between Fasting And Fight Against Cancer

Scientists have potentially discovered the first evidence of a natural intervention to trigger stem cell regeneration. Valter Longo, Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at the USC Davis School of Gerontology, and director of the USC Longevity Institute, has assisted as a corresponding author to a 2014 study on fasting.

“When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged,” Valter Longo has said. “What we started noticing in both our human work and animal work is that the white blood cell count goes down with prolonged fasting. Then when you re-feed, the blood cells come back. So we started thinking, well, where does it come from?”

The study was published in the June 5, 2014 issue of Cell Stem Cell, by researchers from the University of Southern California. Their research demonstrates that a person who has cycles of prolonged fasting displays a lower white cell count. Chemo patients often fast due to the side effects of treatment. The research showed that fasting helped to protect against immune system damage and encourage immune system regeneration. In conclusion, they suggest fasting can shift stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal.

The human clinical trials on chemotherapy patients displayed a significant drop in white blood cells, assisting in flipping the “regenerative switch, changing the signaling pathways for hematopoietic stem cells, which are responsible for the generation of blood and immune systems.”

“What we started noticing in both our human work and animal work is that the white blood cell count goes down with prolonged fasting. Then when you re-feed, the blood cells come back,” Valter Longo, stated.

Co-author, Tanya Dorff, acknowledges the damage chemotherapy causes to the immune system, but also recognises that the results of this study suggest that “fasting may mitigate some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy.” The regeneration of new immune system cells triggered by fasting, and more importantly, the reduction of the PKA enzyme and the growth-factor hormone IGF-1—which have been linked to aging and tumor progression—is a positive sign.

It’s a study that has reaching possibilities not only for chemo patients but also for those suffering from diseases of organs, such as cardiovascular conditions. With further studies taking place in this area, the possibility of fasting or controlled dietary interventions impacting on other diseases is now being investigated.

As always, Anonymous will endeavor to give both sides of the story. The article has been written by sourcing information that may contribute to the benefit of chemo patients as well as a variety of other conditions. Before engaging in any form of health care/benefit, be sure to thoroughly research information that is particular to you. Do not fast without discussing the implications with your health adviser first, and always research the implications.

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