In The Observer of 8th September there was an item in Discover about Aging. It appears that fasting for a couple of days each week could lead to an increased production of new brain cells. It`s not a total abstinence from food on those days but a severely limited number of calories. You could eat double the next day if you liked. Could our researchers comment on this and would it help people with PD?
I must say I quite like the idea because I would save lots of time the days I didn`t have to prepare meals.
Hi hatknitter
Thanks for the interesting question. The article is here if anyone else would like to have read:
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/sep/08/how-to-live-longer-experts-guide-ageing
There is currently a wave of interest in the potential benefits of fasting for improving our health and even protecting our brains. If fasting could stimulate the growth of new brain cells it could have enormous potential for preventing or even slowing the course of neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's.
However, at this stage the research has only been carried out in animal studies. These experiments have produced promising results but they need to be reproduced in trials in people before we can be sure how real they are.
Because fasting can be dangerous for people who are not in good general health we also need trials looking at fasting in people with Parkinson’s to check whether this approach to diet is effective and safe in the long-term.
I hope this answers your questions!
Research team
