NEW DELHI: New research has found that a molecule produced during fasting can delay the aging of our arteries and keeps blood vessels young.
Scientists led by Dr. Ming-Hui Zou, at Georgia State University in Atlanta showed that fasting or severe calorie restriction can produce a key molecule called B-hydroxybutyrate that has anti-aging effects on the vascular system.
The findings were published in the journal Molecular Cell.
Dr. Zou, commented the most important part of aging is vascular aging. As people become older, they are very much susceptible to age-related diseases.
And if the vascular system becomes younger, then it could likely to help to prevent age-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s.
It is worth noting that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death across the globe and fasting during Ramadan has beneficial effects in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) since there is a radical change in lifestyle for the period of one lunar month.
The molecule B-hydroxybutyrate is a ketone body or water-soluble molecule produced by the liver during fasting, starvation and low-carb diets or carbohydrate restriction diet.
Interestingly, Zou and his team also found that B-hydroxybutyrate actively promotes cell division and multiplication thereby reduces senescence.
During obesity or excess intake of food,β-hydroxybutyrate is suppressed and accelerate aging.