Intermittent fasting has gained popularity in recent years as a method for weight loss. This approach deprives the body of glucose, forcing it to break down fat and produce an alternative fuel source called ketones. Interestingly, intermittent fasting may also have additional health benefits, including improved immunity and the ability to combat disease.
A study conducted with mice has shown that immune cells become more effective in fighting infections and cancer when they utilize ketones as an energy source. It was previously believed that cells primarily rely on glucose for energy. However, researchers led by Russell Jones at the Van Andel Institute discovered that certain immune cells called T cells do not produce much energy using glucose.
By analyzing data from three different studies, the researchers found that effective T cells had increased activity in genes associated with breaking down ketones. This indicates that these cells derive energy from ketones when fighting diseases. To further explore this, the team genetically engineered mice that couldn’t break down ketones and compared their response to an infection with normal mice that could. The normal mice showed higher production of cytokines, which are substances that kill off pathogens, indicating that the ability to break down ketones made the T cells more effective in fighting infections. The researchers also found that tumors in the mice unable to break down ketones grew twice as large compared to those in the mice that could.
These findings suggest that immune cells are more effective at fighting disease when utilizing ketones as an energy source instead of glucose. This aligns with previous research showing that fasting for 12 or more hours daily improves immune function in mice. The study’s results could also shed light on how dietary interventions, such as intermittent fasting, impact our ability to fight infections and cancer.
However, Russell Jones cautions that not all ketone-producing diets have the same effects. For example, the low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet may impair immunity due to high levels of fat that can suppress immune cells.
