Intermittent fasting reveals gut-brain pathway that may reduce chronic pain
Chronic pain, pain that persists or returns for more than three months, can affect people's emotional well-being and is often accompanied by difficulty concentrating or remembering things. While they can be effective for some patients, available treatments for chronic pain do not always relieve all the other symptoms associated with it.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Zhengzhou University and its First Affiliated Hospital has uncovered a potential gut-brain pathway through intermittent fasting that may reduce chronic pain and improve mental function. Chronic pain, which persists or returns for more than three months, can significantly impact a person's emotional well-being and cognitive abilities.
While available treatments for chronic pain are effective for some patients, they often do not address all the associated symptoms. The study, published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, involved investigating the effects of intermittent fasting on chronic pain in mice. The findings suggest that fasting for set hours can alter gut bacteria and influence the connection between the digestive tract and the brain, potentially reducing pain sensitivity and improving mental function.
The researchers identified an intermittent fasting-Alistipes finegoldii-hippuric acid- STING neuroimmune axis associated with improvements in pain, cognition, and anxiety-like behavior.
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