Fasting for Immune Health in Healthy Adults

Overseen By Antonio Ji

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Davis

Must not be taking: Lipid medications, Hormonal birth control

Disqualifiers: Smoking, Anemia, Pregnancy, Diabetes, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

4 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This is a clinical trial assessing the effects of fasting on the immune system in healthy adults. Immune profiling, gene expression profiling, and flow cytometry on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) will be performed and we hypothesize that a period of fasting will alter the immune system in healthy adults.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants do not regularly use over-the-counter allergy or pain medications more than once a week and do not take prescription lipid medications or hormonal birth control. If you are taking these, you would need to stop to participate.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Dietary Fasting for immune health in healthy adults?

Research shows that fasting can enhance certain immune functions, such as increasing the activity of natural killer cells and monocytes, which are important for fighting infections. Additionally, fasting has been found to reduce inflammation and improve immune responses in conditions like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is fasting generally safe for immune health in humans?

Research suggests that fasting can have both positive and negative effects on the immune system. It may reduce inflammation and enhance certain immune functions, but it can also cause temporary reductions in immune cells, which are usually reversed after refeeding. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

How does dietary fasting as a treatment for immune health differ from other treatments?

Dietary fasting is unique because it enhances certain immune functions by increasing the activity of immune cells like monocytes and natural killer cells, and it modulates inflammation through mechanisms like autophagy (the body's way of cleaning out damaged cells) and the regulation of specific immune pathways. Unlike other treatments, fasting can improve immune health without the use of medications, relying instead on the body's natural response to reduced caloric intake. ^{1 2 3 4 7}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy male adults aged 20-40, with a BMI of 19-27 and weighing at least 120 lbs. Participants must have normal fasting glucose levels (70-100 mg/dL) and be willing to fast for 36 hours drinking only water. They also need to agree to provide stool samples throughout the study and monitor their blood sugar using a provided kit.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 20 and 40 years old.

I am male.

BMI: 19-27 kg/m2 to constitute a normal/healthy weight population

Exclusion Criteria

Current smoking

I have anemia.

Pregnancy or current breastfeeding

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Fasting Intervention

Participants undergo a fasting regimen to assess its effects on the immune system

7 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the fasting intervention

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Dietary Fasting

Trial Overview The trial is exploring how not eating for a set period affects the immune system in healthy people. It involves tests like immune profiling, gene expression analysis, and flow cytometry on blood cells that are part of the body's defense system.

Participant Groups

Group I: Fasting Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Dietary fasting.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Davis

Lead Sponsor

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

Findings from Research

Short-term fasting significantly reduces the number of circulating monocytes and their inflammatory activity, which may help improve chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

The study found that this effect is regulated by dietary glucose and protein levels, with mechanisms involving the activation of AMPK in the liver and suppression of CCL2 production, linking caloric intake to immune response and inflammation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dietary Intake Regulates the Circulating Inflammatory Monocyte Pool. Jordan, S., Tung, N., Casanova-Acebes, M., et al.[2020]

A 24-hour fast significantly increased the expression of IL-1 receptor type 2 (IL-1R2) and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) in mice, suggesting that fasting enhances the body's ability to resist IL-1, a key player in inflammation.

Fasting not only protects against IL-1β-induced negative effects like weight loss and anxiety but also triggers increases in plasma free-fatty acids, which may signal the body to suppress immune responses during fasting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fasting Induces IL-1 Resistance and Free-Fatty Acid-Mediated Up-Regulation of IL-1R2 and IL-1RA. Joesting, JJ., Moon, ML., Gainey, SJ., et al.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dietary Intake Regulates the Circulating Inflammatory Monocyte Pool. [2020]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fasting-enhanced immune effector mechanisms in obese subjects. [2022]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fasting Induces IL-1 Resistance and Free-Fatty Acid-Mediated Up-Regulation of IL-1R2 and IL-1RA. [2021]

4. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fasting-induced FOXO4 blunts human CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness. [2022]

5. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Short-Term Fasting Synergizes with Solid Cancer Therapy by Boosting Antitumor Immunity. [2022]

6. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Calorie restriction induces reversible lymphopenia and lymphoid organ atrophy due to cell redistribution. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Innate immune remodeling by short-term intensive fasting. [2022]