kofi

Free Radic Biol Med. 2009 Oct 8
*
Alternate-day fasting protects the rat heart against age-induced
inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting oxidative damage and NF-kB
activation.
Castello L, Froio T, Maina M, Cavallini G, Biasi F, Leonarduzzi G,
Donati A, Bergamini E, Poli G, Chiarpotto E.
Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino,
Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, (TO), Italy.

The free radical theory of aging is currently one of the most popular.
In parallel, many studies have demonstrated the association of fibrosis
and increased oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of some chronic human
diseases, and fibrosis is often characteristic of aging tissues. One of
the few interventions that effectively slow aging is calorie restriction
and the protection against the age-associated increase of oxidative
stress remains one of the foremost hypotheses to explain this action. As
an alternative to traditional calorie restriction, another dietary
regimen, termed alternate-day fasting, has also been tested, whose
antiaging mechanisms have not been explored so much extensively. We thus
studied the effects of alternate-day fasting, started at 2 months of
age, on oxidative stress and fibrosis in the heart during aging. In the
left ventricle of the heart of elderly (aged 24 months) versus young
(aged 6 months) male rats we found a significant increase in oxidative
stress paralleled by increased fibrosis. In parallel there was a
significant increase in inflammatory cytokine levels and in NF-kB DNA
binding activity with advancing age. Alternate-day fasting protected
against all these age-related phenomena. These data support the
hypothesis that this kind of dietary restriction protects against
age-related fibrosis, at least in part by reducing inflammation and
oxidative damage, and this protection can thus be considered a factor in
the prevention of age-related diseases with sclerotic evolution.

PMID: 19818847

Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Nov;90(5):1138-43. Epub 2009 Sep 30
*
Short-term modified alternate-day fasting: a novel dietary strategy for
weight loss and cardioprotection in obese adults.
Varady KA, Bhutani S, Church EC, Klempel MC.
Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at
Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

BACKGROUND: The ability of modified alternate-day fasting (ADF; ie,
consuming 25% of energy needs on the fast day and ad libitum food intake
on the following day) to facilitate weight loss and lower vascular
disease risk in obese individuals remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study
examined the effects of ADF that is administered under controlled
compared with self-implemented conditions on body weight and coronary
artery disease (CAD) risk indicators in obese adults. DESIGN: Sixteen
obese subjects (12 women, 4 men) completed a 10-wk trial, which
consisted of 3 phases: 1) a 2-wk control phase, 2) a 4-wk weight
loss/ADF controlled food intake phase, and 3) a 4-wk weight loss/ADF
self-selected food intake phase. RESULTS: Dietary adherence remained
high throughout the controlled food intake phase (days adherent: 86%)
and the self-selected food intake phase (days adherent: 89%). The rate
of weight loss remained constant during controlled food intake (0.67 +/-
0.1 kg/wk) and self-selected food intake phases (0.68 +/- 0.1 kg/wk).
Body weight decreased (P < 0.001) by 5.6 +/- 1.0 kg (5.8 +/- 1.1%) after
8 wk of diet. Percentage body fat decreased (P < 0.01) from 45 +/- 2% to
42 +/- 2%. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triacylglycerol
concentrations decreased (P < 0.01) by 21 +/- 4%, 25 +/- 10%, and 32 +/-
6%, respectively, after 8 wk of ADF, whereas HDL cholesterol remained
unchanged. Systolic blood pressure decreased (P < 0.05) from 124 +/- 5
to 116 +/- 3 mm Hg. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that ADF is a
viable diet option to help obese individuals lose weight and decrease
CAD risk. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as
UIC-004-2009.

Publication Types:
* Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PMID: 19793855