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Updated: Jul 6, 2025

Assessment of the Metabolic Effects of Isocaloric 2:1 Intermittent Fasting in Mice
Published on: November 27, 2019
Adaptive metabolic response to short-term intensive fasting
Suping Zhang1, Yaqi Lv2, Jiawei Qian2
1Research Center for Blood Engineering and Manufacturing, Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; Suzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Suzhou 215004, China.
Short-term intensive fasting (STIF) triggers adaptive metabolic responses in the liver and kidney. The body upregulates catabolic enzymes to manage metabolite accumulation, demonstrating a protective mechanism against fasting stress.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic studies
- Physiology
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Short-term intensive fasting (STIF), practiced for over two millennia, lacks comprehensive evaluation of its risks and the body's adaptive responses.
- Understanding the metabolic impact on vital organs like the liver and kidney during STIF is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the metabolic response of the liver and kidney to short-term intensive fasting (STIF).
- To evaluate the body's adaptive mechanisms and potential risks associated with STIF.
Main Methods:
- A 7-day water-only fasting followed by 7-day refeeding protocol was implemented in a mouse model.
- Analyses included plasma metabolic profiling, gene expression, liver and kidney function tests, and a human cell line model.
Main Results:
- STIF led to the accumulation of fat and protein metabolites, with pyruvate and succinate identified as key intermediates.
- Upregulation of catabolic enzymes in the liver counteracted metabolite accumulation, a finding validated in human cells.
- Kidney function was partially affected but recovered with refeeding; STIF reduced oxidative and inflammatory markers and improved lipid metabolism in fatty liver models.
Conclusions:
- Metabolite accumulation during STIF is managed by the spontaneous upregulation of catabolic enzymes, indicating an adaptive and protective response.
- STIF demonstrates potential benefits, including reduced oxidative stress and improved lipid metabolism, with recovery observed after refeeding.
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