Study: Fasting May Help Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease

Fasting every other day may help protect against neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease as well as diabetes, according to a study reported in the April 28 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

National Institute on Aging (NIA) researchers compared mice that they deprived of food every other day to mice that daily consumed either a calorie-restricted or non-restricted diet.

Mark Mattson, Ph.D., chief of the NIA's Laboratory of Neurosciences, and his colleagues found that nerve cells of the fasting mice were more resistant to neurotoxin injury or death than nerve cells of the mice on either of the other diets.

Although the study suggests that one's health might actually improve if the frequency of his or her meals is reduced, Mattson said more research is needed before the full health impact of skipping meals is determined.

The researchers are currently studying the effects of meal-skipping on the cardiovascular system in laboratory rats.

Other sources: National Institute on Aging