Health
Intermittent fasting reduces chronic pain in animal study through gut bacteria changes
Researchers found that scheduled meal timing altered gut microbes and reduced nerve inflammation in animal models.
The short version
- A study in animal models found that intermittent fasting reduces chronic pain by strengthening the gut lining and altering gut bacteria.
- Researchers identified that fasting increases the bacterium Alistipes finegoldii, which produces compounds that suppress an inflammatory pathway in the nervous system.
- Further human clinical trials are required to determine if these biological mechanisms apply to humans and to establish safe dietary guidelines.
Key facts
- Scientists at Zhengzhou University in China published a study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity examining how intermittent fasting affects chronic pain in animal models.[Fox News]
- Fasting reinforced the intestinal lining, preventing inflammatory compounds from entering the bloodstream and reaching nervous tissue.[Fox News]
- The research showed an increase in Alistipes finegoldii bacteria, which leads to the production of hippuric acid, a compound that calms the STING inflammatory pathway in the nervous system.[Fox News]
- Giving live Alistipes finegoldii bacteria to non-fasting animal models produced similar improvements in pain relief and cognitive performance.[Fox News]