Scientists at the Salk Institute in California have found that if you eat all the food for 10 hours, you can compensate for metabolic disorders associated with a violation of the daily cycle. Thus, lifestyle changes can help prevent age-related diseases and prolong life. This is reported by ScienceDaily.
During the experiment, the researchers turned off genes in mice that are responsible for maintaining circadian rhythms - cyclical changes in the intensity of various biological processes that are associated with the change of day and night. For example, during the day, certain genes are activated and deactivated. For example, some animals, including humans, have digestive genes that are active only during the day, while genes for cell repair are turned on at night.
One group of genetically modified mice had access to food around the clock, while the other only had access to a 10-hour period. Rodents in the first group began to suffer from obesity and metabolic diseases, including diabetes and fatty liver disease. The rest of the animals consumed the same amount of calories and, despite the absence of digestive rhythms, remained healthy and did not gain weight.
According to scientists, the role of circadian rhythms in this process is to plan meals. This allows the body to strike a balance between the time it takes to digest and the time it takes to maintain metabolic functions. Disruption of biorhythms due to job changes, time zones or genetic defects leads to diseases.
As you age, your body clock begins to deteriorate, which contributes to the development of senile diseases, including cancer and dementia. However, researchers believe that limiting food intake to a 10-hour window will help maintain health. Scientists intend to confirm this in future scientific works with the participation of people.