Autophagy – How to Recycle Yourself

Posted on by Jesse Santiano, M.D.

Let’s say you live in an old house that has seen better days. The floors are getting rickety, the roof is leaking, and the walls, countertops, and cabinets are old-fashioned and tired-looking.

You hired a handyman to do the remodeling. But instead of buying new lumber and supplies for the project, he cleaned up and recycled the decrepit materials and made the whole house brand new.  It is unbelievable, but it happens in our bodies, which is called autophagy.

Autophagy means “to self-devour”  in Greek. Two scientists related to autophagy, Christian De Duve and Yoshinori Ohsumi, won Nobel prizes for their essential work because of the gravity of autophagy in health and disease.

Why does Autophagy Happen?

Autophagy is a means of self-preservation during times of low food supply. That is when the meager nutrients are rationed. The older and defective cells, bacteria, viruses, useless proteins, and fat cells (lipophagy) will not get enough nutrients to survive.

So, the dead cells get broken down into their elemental components.  Then the resulting amino acids and fatty acids get reused to make new cells.  Even the mitochondria, which are the energy source of our cells, can also be reprocessed. That is called mitophagy, which provides a more powerful energy source for cellular functions.

If autophagy does not happen, the body becomes prone to chronic diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s dementia, and other chronic illnesses.

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Cross section of the Normal and Shrunken Alzheimer Brain as seen from the Front

Autophagy Happens During Fasting

Autophagy does not occur if plenty of nutrients are present. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) prevents autophagy even when a small amount of protein is available.

Periods of low caloric intake, such as skipping a meal, can trigger autophagy. The longer the fasting period, the more the old cells are recycled.

Health Benefits of Autophagy

  1. Cancer treatment. 
  2. Diseased cells get destroyed.
  3. Protection against viral and bacterial infections.
  4. Unnecessary proteins like excess skin are removed, leading to a tighter-looking skin.
  5. Damaged cells get repaired or replaced.
  6. Brand-new and better-functioning cells are made
  7. Helps with osteoarthritis. The most common cause of joint pains. 

What Happens if Nutrients are Available all the time?

  1. Type 2 diabetes,
  2. Metabolic syndrome and all its associated diseases. (See disease associated with Metabolic Syndrome in this blog)
  3. Disorders of Aging,
  4. Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
  5. Cancer.

Fasting Methods or How to Activate Autophagy

  1. Water Fasting. Drink only water for 24 hours
  2. Alternate Daily fasting
  3. Skipping a meal a day
  4. Time-restricted eating, like the 16:8 method, involves fasting for 16 hours, which includes sleep time and an 8-hour window for eating. Don’t overeat during eating time.

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Talk to your doctor first if you are on medications for diabetes and hypertension before fasting because dosages may need to be changed.

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Image Credits:
  • Handyman tools Photo by Todd Quackenbush on Unsplash
  • Alzheimer’s brain By Garrondo – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4387759
  • Woman Holding brown Umbrella by Photo by Edu Lauton on Unsplash

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