by Anne Trafton – MIT News –
Fasting helps intestinal stem cells regenerate and heal injuries but also leads to a higher risk of cancer in mice, MIT researchers report.
Low-calorie diets and intermittent fasting have been shown to have numerous health benefits: They can delay the onset of some age-related diseases and lengthen lifespan, not only in humans but many other organisms.
Many complex mechanisms underlie this phenomenon. Previous work from MIT has shown that one way fasting exerts its beneficial effects is by boosting the regenerative abilities of intestinal stem cells, which helps the intestine recover from injuries or inflammation.
