Reinforcing Immunity Through Unconventional Energy Sources
When struck down by a cold or flu, the last thing you wanna do is dig into a meal. But skipping meals could leave you wondering, "Am I weakening my immune system?"
Back in the day, the solution was chicken soup—or at least that's what we were told. Yet, some days it feels like even that's too much to handle!
What if your immune system actually performs better when you don't eat, or when you consume an alternative energy source?
Recent research suggests it could just be the immune system boost you need...
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Fasting on Fuel
Meet the ketone bodies. At the heart of the "fasting is better" hypothesis, these metabolic byproducts from stored fat thrive when glucose, the body's primary energy source, is scarce.
Whether it's through exercise or fasting, the liver boosts the production of ketones to fuel organs, including the energy-hungry brain. This is also what happens on the Keto diet, which aims to have the body rely on ketones instead of sugar.
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A few years back, researchers from Yale found that mice on a ketogenic diet were better at fighting off the flu than their carb-loaded counterparts. Not long after, scientists in another study reported that a restrictive diet helped mice recover from bacterial infections. They believed that cutting off the glucose supply and relying on ketones was advantageous, owing to their beneficial effects against oxidative stress caused by bacteria.
More recently, researchers at The Van Andel Institute discovered that ketone bodies not only provide energy when needed but also power immune cells. In fact, T-cells (a crucial component of the immune system) prefer ketone bodies over glucose as a fuel source.
Additionally, the researchers found that ketone bodies improve T-cell function by "re-programming" them to better neutralize threats to the body. T-cells may not fight infection as effectively when the production of ketone bodies is reduced, say, when one feeds heavily on carbs.
The researchers hypothesize that ketone bodies may be an evolutionary safeguard that kicks in when nutrient resources are limited, such as during illness.
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Moving forward, the team at The Van Andel Institute plans to explore the impact of fasting and ketone body supplementation on immune function. Their findings may pave the way for future personalized dietary recommendations to complement treatments for infection, cancer, and other diseases.
So, what can you do with this revelation?
Well, you've got options:
The Keto diet and intermittent fasting share similarities—keto prepares the groundwork for fasting in many ways. Some experts suggest starting the Keto diet may make intermittent fasting easier.
If going keto seems too daunting, intermittent fasting might be a more manageable first step:
- Alternate day fasting involves eating whatever you want one day and nothing at all the next.
- A modified alternate-day fast involves consuming 500 calories on fast days.
- A more moderate form of intermittent fasting involves limiting your daily eating window to eight hours, fasting for 16 hours. While this type of fast may not produce ketones as efficiently, it still offers potential health benefits.
As always, consult your doctor before starting any new diet plan.
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Sources:
Alternative cellular 'fuels' boost immunity - Science Daily
Ketolysis drives CD8+ T cell effector function through effects on histone acetylation - Immunity
Van Andel Institute
Ketone Bodies and the Immune System
- Production and Function: Ketone bodies are created by the liver during periods of low glucose availability, such as fasting or a ketogenic diet. They provide an alternative energy source and have been shown to impact immune responses.
- Inflammation Regulation: Ketone bodies act as inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and NFκB, leading to reduced inflammation—a beneficial effect for immune health.
- Immune Cell Modulation: Ketone bodies can modulate the function of immune cells, including T-cells. They may enhance the expression of genes involved in immune regulation and improve the host's defense against infections.
- T-cell Impact: Though specific research on the direct effect of ketone bodies on T-cells is limited, the anti-inflammatory effects and enhanced immune function suggest a positive impact on T-cell activity. By creating a more favorable metabolic environment, ketone bodies could potentially boost T-cell function.
Diet and Immune Health
- Dietary Manipulations: Diets that induce ketosis, such as caloric restriction or ketogenic diets, have been associated with health benefits and reduced inflammation, improving overall immune function.
- Sex Differences: Some studies suggest sex differences in the response to ketogenic diets, but the impact on T-cells specifically is not well-documented. The activation of the cAMP/CREB pathway by ketone bodies could have implications for neurological and potentially immune functions.
Future Research
While the current evidence points to the potential benefits of ketone bodies on immune health, more research is needed to fully understand their effects on T-cells and the immune system as a whole. This includes exploring the molecular mechanisms behind the impact of ketone bodies on immune cell function and how these effects vary across populations.
- Recent research suggests that relying on ketones as an energy source, either through fasting or a ketogenic diet, may boost the immune system, potentially helping to fight off the flu and bacterial infections more effectively.
- T-cells, a crucial component of the immune system, prefer ketone bodies over glucose as a fuel source, and their function can be improved when the body relies on ketones instead of sugar.
- Reducing the body's reliance on glucose and increasing the production of ketones could be a beneficial strategy for maintaining health-and-wellness, particularly during times of illness, as ketone bodies may act as an evolutionary safeguard when nutrient resources are limited.
