The effect of intermittent fasting on the intestines and brain is named

They act together or are influenced by an external factor

Intermittent fasting or the IER diet alters the human brain-gut-microbiome axis, scientists say.

“The observed changes in the gut microbiome and in the activity of supplement-related brain regions during and after weight loss are highly dynamic and interrelated over time,” explains Dr. Qiang Zeng, a researcher at the Institute of Health Management at the PLA General Hospital in Beijing.

The study authors used blood data and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine changes in gut microbiome composition, physiological and serum parameters, and brain activity in 25 obese Chinese women and men following the IER diet. Participants were on average 27 years old.

“A healthy, balanced gut microbiome is critical for energy homeostasis and healthy weight maintenance. On the contrary, an abnormal gut microbiome may change our eating behavior by affecting a specific area of ​​the brain involved in addiction,” explains Dr. Yongli Li from the Department of Health Management of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital in Henan.

It is said that to begin with, the participants underwent a “strictly controlled fasting phase” lasting 32 days, during which they received individual nutrition, developed by a nutritionist, with a gradual reduction in caloric intake. They then spent 30 days in an “uncontrolled fasting phase,” where they were given a list of recommended foods: Participants who followed the diet perfectly received 500 calories per day for women and 600 calories per day for men.

By the end of the study, their body weight had dropped by an average of 7.6 kg, a reduction of almost 8 percent. As expected, their body fat and waistlines decreased. Likewise, their blood pressure and glucose and cholesterol levels decreased. This suggests that intermittent fasting helps reduce comorbidities associated with obesity, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and liver dysfunction.

The authors observed decreased activity in brain regions involved in the regulation of appetite and addiction. These results suggest that changes in the brain and microbiome during and after weight loss are linked, either because they are mutually modified or because there is an unknown other factor influencing the brain and gut.

“The gut microbiome is thought to interact with the brain in a complex, bidirectional manner. The microbiome produces neurotransmitters and neurotoxins that enter the brain through the nerves and blood circulation. In turn, the brain controls eating behavior, while nutrients from our diet change the composition of the gut microbiome,” comments Dr. Xiaoning Wang from the Institute of Geriatrics at PLA General Hospital.

The next question scientists need to answer is understanding exactly how the gut microbiome and the brain interact in obese people, including during weight loss.