In fast-moving world, boosting your immune system is not just merely a health goal, but rather a necessity for the long-lasting survival. People are more inclined towards curing methods via natural medicines and herbs. For instance, seasonal flu, work-load stress, insomnia, and bodily aches have been healed through ayurveda for the strengthening of body’s defense mechanisms. Keto dieting and intermittent fasting have become a commonplace where people are seeking for instantaneous effective results due to time constraint, and sometimes financial constraints. However, there is still a lingering question raised as does intermittent fasting boost your immune system or is it just an emerging marketable idea in the industry of nutritional industry?
This article will peel off the multiple layers of intermittent fasting, how it sways the immune function with scientific evidence, expert perspectives in the context of its boosting mechanism, and how to employ safe and sound methods to make such fasting approach more result oriented.
What is Intermittent Fasting? How Does Intermittent Fasting Boost Your Immune System
It is a pattern of person’s eating which emphasized “when” to eat. Timing is the pivotal factor in building eating habits if you want to boost your immunity through fasting. The following are the methods come under the umbrella of fasting methods include:
| Timings | Objectives |
| 16:8 | Within an 8 hour of window is permissible for eating whether in daytime or nighttime. |
| 5:2 | Halting eating patterns for two days only where 5 days normal eating is permissible. |
| Alternate day Fasting | Fasting with the gap of one day. |
| Whole day (24 Hour Fasting) | No eating is permissible for the whole day or 24 hours of time span. |
Understanding the term “Immune System”
Immune system is responsible to defend our bodies from detrimental pathogens like virulent
viruses and bacteria. This defense system is an intricate web of mechanism that comprises of cells, tissues and organs that work in collaboration.
There are two significant parts of immunity:
Innate Immunity: It always comes first while dealing with harmful invaders like viruses and bacteria. Due to its immediate responses, the body activates its mechanism to fight with the invaders for hours. It does not have a trait to remember the previous encounters happening in the body; however, it always deals with the pathogens as something ‘new’ in the body. It is also called as ‘Natural Killers’ that resides in skin tissues, stomach acids and saliva. It is formed of protein cascade that signals the body in the shape of inflammation, redness, pain or sometimes, mild fevers.
Adaptive Immunity: It is acquired immunity that comes after innate immunity in the forms of vaccines and foreign substances which have been injected into the body in order to make cells and tissues acquainted with foreign viruses or building strength for dealing with such alienated invaders in time. It is also customized in nature, and its time period may vary as per the nature of pathogens diagnosed. It also takes great deal of time to show its results while it keeps remembering the previous encounters unlike innate immunity. It basically builds antibodies in body that has the neutralizing capacity of pathogens. Fasting proliferates T-cells that improve the body’s ability to equip itself for forthcoming infectious threats.
Well, sleep and apt nutritional values improve the overall immune health; however, what about the timing patterns? Does it really hold a great deal for having enhanced immunity function?
Can Intermittent Fasting Boost Your Immune System? A Look at the Science
The relationship between intermittent fasting and well-developed immune system is rooted in cellular biology.
Fasting Triggers Autophagy: (Auto=self; phagy=eating) It refers to the process where cells themselves perform an act of damaged cleansing by outgrowing old proteins and rejuvenation of new ones that are comparatively healthier than the older ones. It boosts immune health at cellular level. When one fasts, he/she experiences a collapse of the levels of glucose and insulin, it signals cells to shift its role to store the packs of energy by adapting repair mode rather than growth mode. It does not make a waste of old components, but it reuses them for building the new healthier cells. It also resists body to get inflamed.
Key Takeaway: Research shows that autophagy activated by fasting in cleaning out pathogens and rejuvenates immune cells.
Inflammation Reduction: It becomes a real menace if not cured timely. In order to have well-balanced immune function, such inflammatory stimuli must be avoided. It is hugely associated with the prevalent diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and autoimmune disorders. Fasting helps in boosting antioxidant defense systems by lessening oxidative stress that is key factor in an instigation of chronic inflammation.
Gut Health Benefits: Gut has been referred to as the ‘second brain’ due to its overpowering influence on immunity and overall well-being of an individual. Fasting can do wonders by breaking down complex food components in the digestive system. It cuts intestinal permeability or leaky gut issues and get rid of harmful pathogens from entering bloodstreams. In this way, healthier gut communicates more effectively with immune system and fasting ameliorates such process.
Key takeaway: As per 2021 study in the context of cell reports, researchers came onto the conclusion that time-restrained eating pattern aids speedy fat loss among overweight people due to improved gut health and better immune signaling.
Improved T-cell Function: Intermittent fasting can boost the rapid proliferation activity of T-cells are which quite important in second line of defense mechanism system, i.e., adaptive immunity, proposed by small-scale human studies.
QUICK SUMMARY:
Intermittent fasting can bolster immune system by:
Encouraging autophagy to eradicate cellular waste.
Reducing systematic inflammation
Improving gut health issues by cleaning the proliferation of microbes.
Enhancing T-cell formation
Reducing cortisol or stress hormones which are commonplace in women.
Fighting insulin resistance
Real-life Example: According to Economic Times India, a media report had been featured which documented the journey of a woman who lost around 25 kgs in the time span of 1.5 years through intermittent fasting. She adopted intermittent fasting as a lifestyle that stayed her fit even today.
The Dark Sides of Intermittent Fasting:
Having discussed the prevailing pros of intermittent fasting, there are also lie the cons that
needs to be discussed of one’s primary goal is to boost immunity. If immune system is already compromised due to said reasons, fasting can only worsen the immunity. One must be overly cautious or avoid observing such fasting methods:
People with autoimmune disorders usually have weak immune system. for them conservation of energy must be utmost priority.
Expecting or nursing mothers.
Elderly people who are already prone to nutritional deficiencies.
Malnourished people who already have eating disorders.
People in the process of recovery from any serious illness.
How to Safely Use Intermittent Fasting for Immune Health
Intermittent fasting is the most powerful tool when it comes to build strong immune system and to avoid prevailing risks of chronic diseases. Here are some recommendations to be implemented effectively.
Choose the right fasting method: 12:12 window is the most highly recommended as compared to 16:8. Well, the intermittent fasting window varies from person to person. Initially, it can be intense for beginners, one must not be too desperate to lose weight so early.
Stay hydrated: The use of ample of water and herbal teas lessen the effects of stress hormones in the body. It also drains out the toxins from the body in the form of urination. It does not cover caffeine and sweetened beverages.
Focus on Nutritional values of the food: One must be very much focused on the count of calories he is intaking. leafy green vegetables, fatty fish, high-quality protein food, yogurt, citrus foods and nuts are less in their calorie count, but rich in zinc, vitamin D, zinc, and antioxidants.
Consider individual factors and avoid fasting: Pregnant and nursing mothers, people with chronic illnesses, and people suffering from mental health issues must avoid observing such pattern of losing weight. In such cases, one suffers from the inevitable aftereffects of dizziness, fatigue and lethargy that hinders the process of healing in the body and turns the process into a burden more than a healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does intermittent fasting reduce inflammation in the body?
Yes, as per various researchers in the domain in medicines have proved that it lowers chronic inflammation in the body. It also bolsters improved immune function.
What must be the duration of fasting to observe immune benefits?
It varies from person to person. For some, 14 and for some 16 hours works. In this regard, one must consult medical supervision.
In case of having flu and cough, will it be safe to observe intermittent fasting?
If one’s body suffers any illness, he/she must avoid fasting. They already need apt number of nutritional values to fight infections in the body.