Alternating between periods of fasting and short phases of food intake reduces blood triglyceride levels, which are a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.
- In “apolipoprotein E-deficient” mice, intermittent fasting improved glucose and lipid metabolism.
- Being deprived of food for a period of time also led to a reduction in blood triglyceride levels, a risk factor for atherosclerosis.
- These benefits were only observed in mice eating a balanced diet.
“In humans and animals, intermittent fasting interventions promote weight loss, improve metabolic health, and are thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, there are few reports on the relevance of these nutritional interventions in the context of dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases”, indicated researchers from the Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC) in Toulouse.
“Apolipoprotein E-deficient” mice were deprived of food for a given period
In one study, they decided to evaluate the metabolic and atheroprotective effects of intermittent fasting in two-month-old mice “deficient in apolipoprotein E”. As a reminder, apolipoprotein E is a protein that transports lipids in the blood. The rodents were all subject to atherosclerosis, which is characterized by the deposition of plaque mainly composed of lipids on the wall of the arteries. “Ultimately, these plaques can cause damage to the arterial wall, lead to obstruction of the vessel, or even rupture, with often dramatic consequences,” signals Inserm. During the experiment, the animals were divided into four groups. For four months, they followed a diet that was either balanced or “rich in fat and cholesterol”, accompanied or not by intermittent fasting.
Dyslipidemia: intermittent fasting decreased blood triglyceride levels
The results, published in the journal Cells, showed that intermittent fasting improved glucose and lipid metabolism independently of the sex of mice. It also reduced blood triglyceride levels, which is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis in rodents eating a balanced diet. Another observation: a reduction in weight gain only in males following a balanced diet.
According to the authors, the impact was not the same on “adipose tissue parameters” and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. “Finally, intermittent fasting prevented the spontaneous formation of aortic atherosclerotic lesions in mice fed a balanced diet, regardless of sex, but failed to reduce atherosclerosis induced by a high-fat, high-fat diet. cholesterol”concluded the team.
