Observe a young promote the growth of new pancreatic cells that produce insulin that reduce the symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, according to a study on mice and human cells conducted at the University of Southern California (USC) in the United States.
Diabetes: regeneration and reprogramming of cells
“The cycles of a diet that mimics fasting and a normal diet essentially reprogrammed non-insulin-producing cells into insulin-producing cells,” said Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute and author of the research. . By activating the regeneration of pancreatic cells, we were able to save mice from both types of diabetes. We also reactivated the production of insulin in human pancreatic cells of type 1 diabetic patients “.
The reprogrammed cells and organs caused regeneration in which damaged cells were replaced with new functions. The study published on February 23 in the Cell journal, is the most recent in a body of work demonstrating promising health benefits of a brief, periodic diet that mimics the effects of fasting.
Reversing Diabetes Through Fasting
In type 1 and late stage type 2 diabetes, the pancreas loses insulin-producing beta cells, which increases unstable blood sugar levels. The study showed a remarkable reversal of diabetes in mice that fasted for four days each week. Rodents regained good insulin production, reduced insulin resistance, and demonstrated more stable blood glucose levels. This was the case even for mice in the later stages of the disease.
Diet cycles turned on genes in adult mice that are normally active in the developing pancreas of fetal mice. The genes triggered the production of a protein, neurogenin-3 (Ngn3), thereby generating new, healthy insulin-producing beta cells.
Longo and his team also looked at pancreatic cell cultures from human donors and found that in type 1 diabetes cells, fasting also increased the expression of the Ngn3 protein and accelerated the production of insulin. The results suggest that a diet Mimicking fasting could relieve diabetes in humans.
Fasting is also effective against cancer and heart disease
Longo and his team have amassed evidence indicating several health benefits of this diet. Their study published last week in Science Translational Medicine was shown that their fast also reduced the risk of cancer, heart disease and other age-related illnesses in human study participants who followed the special diet for five days per month. Previous diet studies have shown potential for relieving symptoms of multiple sclerosis, increase the efficiency of chemotherapy and decrease visceral fat.
“These results justify a larger Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trial on the use of fasting to treat diabetic patients to help them produce normal levels of insulin while improving insulin function,” Longo said. Hopefully people with diabetes can one day be treated with an FDA approved diet, fasting for a few days each month and gain control of their insulin and blood sugar production. “
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