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The Role of Intermittent Fasting in Parkinson's Disease 2021

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ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Why Use Intermittent Fasting in PD?

Without any available disease-modifying therapeutic options, one potential approach to slow progression of PD is to target key pathophysiologic changes in PD. Mitochondrial function is a possible target, especially in the PD cases when the mitochondria dysfunction seems to be the main and/or crucial mechanism. The benefits of IF likely originate from controlled amounts of small stress and recovery, or hormesis (38). In PD models, IF has resulted in improving insulin sensitivity (39), decreased excitotoxicity (40), reduced neurodegeneration (40), and protection against autonomic dysfunction (27, 41), and motor and cognitive decline (30). IF counteracts other pathologic features of PD by enhancing neurogenesis (37) and improving survival of neuronal progenitors (42). Moreover, the resulting ketosis may promote decreased excitotoxicity with the upregulation of GABA (43).

Importantly, IF may provide benefit for the non-motor symptoms of PD in addition to the motor symptoms. Griffioen and colleagues showed that intermittent fasting (energy restriction relative to a high energy diet) led to a decreased burden of alpha-synuclein in the brainstem that contributes to autonomic dysfunction (elevated resting heart rate, impaired cardiovascular stress response, reduced parasympathetic activity) commonly seen in PD (43). As autonomic dysfunction contributes to worse functional status, it remains an important therapeutic target in addition to motor symptoms (44, 45).

An IF dietary intervention is a more encompassing approach to mitochondrial dysfunction and its downstream consequences than nutritional supplementation and, thus, may be more beneficial to target similar pathology. IF likely influences several physiologic pathways, unlike supplementation, which only affects a narrower target (36). See Figure 3 for proposed dietary intervention.

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october61 profile image
october61

Thank you for posting this article about Intermittent Fasting and Parkinson’s. I will follow the link that you have included.

chartist profile image
chartist

Bolt,

Aside from all the benefits listed above, I think IF is equivalent to telling the body that "we" have just come into leaner times and are going to have to operate more efficiently and expend energy where best needed to survive. Food is no longer going to come on an "as wanted basis" and the body adjusts to leaner times accordingly. An over simplification to be sure, but probably appropriate to the circumstances of IF in the body.

Art

Thal profile image
Thal

Meds work better and may even need less.

ddmagee1 profile image
ddmagee1

I believe intermittent fasting has helped me, in more ways than one.

JBOVERT profile image
JBOVERT

BOLT, My experience has been extremely positive as for IF is concerned i have been doing this since July 20th and have lost 20 lbs and that combined with learning to sleep better in that i am not allowing any external light into my eyes when ever i awake in the middle of the night has made my sleep very much better than it was.. Its hard to say now whether it may have had some influence on my overall well being but i am thinking that the introduction of sulfarophane must have some positive attributes to my system....at any rate IF is the only thing that i have done that has caused a noticeable difference in the way that i look and this is affecting how i am feeling now the only problem i have is that i seem to losng my ability to swallow and this is concerning me because i have so many pills to take each day.any suggestions on what i can do about the swallowing issue would be appreciated at this point.

Bolt_Upright profile image
Bolt_Upright in reply to JBOVERT

I am so sorry to hear about your problem swallowing. And sorry I don't have any suggestions. I have not been diagnosed with PD, I have been diagnosed with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (which my doctor says is pre-PD :(

I started intermittent fasting in 2019 after nearly dying of the flu and getting AFIB. I went from 225 lbs to 175 lbs in less than 6 months. When I was diagnosed with RBD in April I had crept back up to 192 lbs but jumped back on the healthy eating and am at 165 lbs now.

Good luck. I am praying for you.

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