Revealing gut microbiome alterations in prolonged water only fasting
Discuss this preprint
Start a discussion What are Sciety discussions?Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
The effectiveness of fasting and calorie restriction as a dietary intervention for addressing overnutrition is well established; however, the impact of prolonged water-only fasting, characterized by complete food deprivation, on the gut microbiome remains largely unexplored. This study examines the changes in the gut microbiome resulting from an 8-day fast. Our findings reveal that extended water-only fasting significantly impacts the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes within the microbiome. Notably, the deprivation of food disrupts the populations of beneficial bacteria that play a critical role in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which may precipitate adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, these microbiome alterations have been associated with elevated cortisol levels. Importantly, the observed changes in the microbiome are reversible upon the reintroduction of a regular diet. This research underscores the potential role of prolonged water only fasting in reconfiguring the gut microbiome.
