A 24-hour fast triggers a surprising repair response in the gut
A specific gut bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, helps fasting prepare intestinal cells to recover from radiation damage.
A 24-hour fast may help prepare the intestines to recover from radiation damage, and researchers have identified a gut bacterium that plays a key role. The preclinical study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers found that 24 hours of fasting increased levels of the beneficial bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila in the small intestine. The microbe produces propionate, which works with other fasting-related changes to alter histones, the proteins that package DNA. These changes help intestinal cells activate genes that drive tissue regeneration after injury.
Radiation therapy is widely used for abdominal cancers, but it can also damage the delicate lining of the small intestine, causing nausea, diarrhea and infections. Those side effects can limit how much radiation doctors can safely give. The scientists hope the findings could eventually lead to ways to protect healthy tissue and make radiation treatment safer and more effective.
Key points
- A 24-hour fast increased a beneficial gut bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila.
- The bacterium produces propionate, which helps intestinal cells prepare to regenerate.
- The research could eventually help make radiation therapy safer.
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Summarized with AI from the sources above and reviewed before publishing.
