A new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine presented for the first time that intermittent fasting can grow hepatocytes or new liver cells. bioRxiv released it on October 16, 2021, as a preprint.
The research was able to determine the mechanism of how new liver cells form with intermittent fasting. Mice were used in the study. They were separated into the control group with an ad libitum (AL) diet (all you can eat) and the intermittent fasting (IF) group.
Results of the study
There are no nutrients taken during intermittent fasting. The absence of nutrients in the blood going to the liver triggers the Fibroblast Growth Factor 15 or FGF15 and WNT signaling pathways and the T-box transcription factor TBX3 gene to work together to make new liver cells rapidly.
The study was done in mice because the FGF 15 in mice has an equivalent in humans called the FGF19. The WNT signaling pathways and TBX3 are also present in humans.
The eat-all-you-can group had a much slower rate of liver regeneration.
What is a Confetti Mice?
The image below compares the number of new liver cells produced by the AL and IF group. T0 is the time before the two diets were started. This study was done using confetti mice. Confetti mice are genetically engineered so that different proteins are represented as different fluorescent colors in an organ.
In this study, they marked the new liver cells as red and green. Note that there are more red and green colors in the IF group compared to the IL group. The left upper part of the IF boxes is marked by a white line to represent the part of the liver near blood supply. The liver cells near the blood supply proliferate faster as they sense the lack of nutrients.
Who can benefit from the study?
The groups mentioned by the authors who had part of their liver removed or a patient who received a smaller transplanted liver relative to their body size will benefit from the study.
Partial hepatectomy is the surgical removal of a part of the liver. It is indicated for benign and malignant liver tumors, a parasitic infection of the liver, or gallstones within the liver.
In both partial hepatectomy and small liver transplants, the liver does not regrow. The discrepancy in the liver-to-body mass ratio can lead to liver diseases. The liver is one of the principal organs of the body. Some of its functions are: it makes bile, removes toxins from the blood, and regulates carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. Any disease of the liver can affect the whole body.
This study makes me think if intermittent fasting will also work on recovering alcoholics and people who had hepatitis.
Intermittent fasting has many health benefits. Talk to your physician if it is right for you.
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