Intermittent Fasting

This review examines intermittent fasting (IF) as a dietary strategy for health and longevity. IF alternates periods of eating and fasting, promoting weight loss, improved metabolic health, and cognitive benefits. The study highlights physiological mechanisms like the shift to ketone metabolism, improved insulin sensitivity, and activation of autophagy. While benefits include better cardiovascular health and reduced inflammation, challenges like hunger, fatigue, and long-term safety concerns persist. The findings support IF as a flexible and sustainable approach, though more large-scale studies are needed to refine protocols and evaluate risks for specific populations.

Intermittent fasting (IF) may support brain health and combat neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s and vascular cognitive impairment. By increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promoting neurogenesis, IF enhances learning, memory, and brain resilience. It also reduces neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to cognitive decline. Human studies, though limited, show promise in mild cognitive impairment, indicating improved cognition and metabolic health. While animal studies are robust, more research is needed to standardize and confirm IF's therapeutic benefits for humans.

This study investigated the effects of caloric restriction (CR) and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) intake on memory in elderly adults. Over three months, participants reducing calorie intake by 30% experienced significant memory improvements, while those increasing UFA intake or maintaining their usual diet showed no changes. The CR group also had lower insulin levels and reduced inflammation, which are linked to better brain health. These findings suggest that CR might enhance memory through improved metabolic health and reduced inflammation.

This paper reviews the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on overall health, aging, and disease prevention. IF cycles the body between glucose and ketone energy sources, enhancing stress resistance, reducing inflammation, and promoting cellular repair through processes like autophagy. Animal and early human studies suggest that IF improves memory, learning, and overall brain function while delaying age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s. Benefits also include improved metabolic health, reduced oxidative stress, and better vascular function.

This review explores the impact of intermittent fasting (IF) on brain metabolism and cognitive health. IF promotes a shift from glucose to ketones as the brain's energy source during fasting, enhancing stress resistance, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis. Key molecular changes include increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), improved mitochondrial function, and reduced inflammation. Preliminary animal and human studies show improved memory, reduced neurodegeneration, and potential benefits for conditions like Alzheimer's and epilepsy. However, more research is needed for clinical guidelines.

This review examines the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on cognitive health and Alzheimer's disease (AD). IF promotes metabolic shifts, increasing ketone body use, which supports brain health by reducing inflammation, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and boosting vascular function. Animal studies show that IF reduces beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles, key markers of AD, while improving memory and synaptic plasticity. Early human evidence suggests IF may improve cognitive resilience, though findings remain inconsistent and limited.

This randomized controlled trial examined how caloric restriction (CR) impacts memory and brain health in adults with central obesity. Over four weeks, both continuous and intermittent CR improved hippocampal-related memory (pattern separation), which is crucial for distinguishing similar experiences. No significant difference between the two methods was observed, though intermittent CR slightly impaired recognition memory. These findings highlight the potential for CR to enhance brain function and neurogenesis, particularly in aging populations

This review highlights how fasting benefits neurological health by altering metabolism and promoting cellular repair. Fasting enhances the brain's use of ketones for energy, reduces inflammation, and supports neuroplasticity through increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Animal studies show fasting improves memory, protects against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, and enhances recovery after brain injury. While human evidence is limited, fasting holds promise as a low-cost, multi-targeted therapy for brain health.

This study investigated how intermittent fasting (IF) alleviates diabetes-related cognitive impairment in mice. IF improved spatial memory and reduced anxiety through changes in gut microbiota and associated metabolites, enhancing mitochondrial function and synaptic health in the hippocampus. The study also identified specific metabolites like indolepropionic acid and short-chain fatty acids that contributed to these benefits. Removing gut microbiota diminished IF’s positive effects, highlighting the gut-brain connection in managing cognitive dysfunction.

This study investigated the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). IF improved memory performance and reduced oxidative stress in the brain, as evidenced by lower levels of malondialdehyde (a marker of oxidative damage) and increased glutathione (an antioxidant). The hippocampus showed improved cell viability and thickness, with less inflammation and neuronal damage. Prophylactic IF, started alongside the HFD, was more effective than curative IF, applied after damage occurred, in preserving brain health and cognitive function.

This study investigated the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD) in mice. IF improved cognitive functions, such as spatial memory, and reduced hippocampal neuronal loss compared to mice on regular diets. However, IF also increased astrocyte activity, which could indicate either neuroprotection or neuroinflammation, requiring further study. These results suggest IF might help alleviate cognitive impairments in neurovascular diseases like SVaD through mechanisms involving hippocampal health.

This three-year study investigated the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Regular IF significantly improved cognitive scores, reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage, while enhancing antioxidant levels and metabolic health. Participants practicing IF regularly had better cognitive recovery, with 24.3% achieving successful aging compared to 3.7% of non-fasters. These findings suggest that IF may promote brain health by modulating key biochemical and metabolic pathways.

This study explored how intermittent fasting (IF) affects cognitive decline and metabolic health in estrogen-deficient rats with Alzheimer’s-like conditions. IF reduced memory loss, decreased beta-amyloid deposits in the hippocampus, and improved energy metabolism by enhancing fat utilization. It also lowered inflammation and improved lipid profiles but slightly worsened bone density and fasting insulin resistance. These findings suggest that IF might protect against cognitive decline and metabolic disturbances associated with estrogen deficiency and neurodegeneration.

This study shows that short-term calorie restriction (CR) enhances the production of new neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory and learning, by activating the ghrelin receptor (Ghsr). CR also improved the ability to retain fear-based memories in mice. These benefits were tied to increased levels of the neurogenic transcription factor Egr-1, which helps integrate new neurons into brain circuits. This research suggests that CR promotes brain plasticity and memory via specific molecular pathways.

This review highlights the potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) on brain health and cognitive function. By promoting a metabolic switch from glucose to ketones, IF enhances stress resistance, cellular repair, and neuroplasticity while reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Animal and human studies suggest IF may help prevent or slow neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and improve mood and cognitive performance. IF also regulates circadian rhythms and enriches gut microbiota, further supporting brain health. However, more research is needed to confirm long-term effects in humans.

This review discusses the health benefits and mechanisms of intermittent fasting (IF) for conditions like obesity, diabetes, cancer, neurological diseases, and aging. IF promotes metabolic flexibility, reduces inflammation, and enhances cellular repair processes like autophagy. It also supports brain health by improving mitochondrial function and boosting neuroplasticity through pathways like BDNF signaling. Preliminary human studies and animal research suggest IF's potential to improve cognition and prevent neurodegenerative diseases, but further long-term studies are needed.

This review highlights the potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) for brain health. IF reduces neuroinflammation, decreases insulin resistance, and enhances autophagy (cellular cleaning processes), all of which are linked to improved cognitive resilience and aging. Key mechanisms include the metabolic switch from glucose to ketones, which activates anti-inflammatory pathways and promotes brain repair. The findings emphasize IF's promise in protecting against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, though long-term effects and variations between IF regimens require further study.

This review discusses the health benefits of fasting on lifespan, metabolism, and brain health. Fasting promotes a shift from glucose to ketones as an energy source, reducing inflammation and enhancing cellular repair processes like autophagy. It improves brain function through better energy metabolism, increased neuroplasticity, and reduced oxidative stress. Various fasting methods, including intermittent and prolonged fasting, show promise for preventing neurodegenerative diseases and improving cognition. Human and animal studies support its potential but highlight the need for tailored approaches.