The "fatty" pancreas
It is known that interval (periodic) fasting increases sensitivity to insulin – the only hormone that lowers blood glucose levels – and protects against fatty liver degeneration. German researchers have found that in mice with an interval fasting regime, the number of fat cells in the pancreas decreases and prevents the development of type 2 diabetes.
Fatty degeneration of the liver has been carefully studied, as it is a common condition. Little is known about the accumulation of fat in the pancreas caused by overweight and its effect on the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. A research team led by Professor Annette Schurmann and Professor Tim Schultz found that overweight mice prone to developing diabetes have an intense accumulation of fat cells in the pancreas. Mice genetically resistant to diabetes, despite being overweight, had almost no fat cells in the pancreas, but they were in the liver. The accumulation of fat cells outside the adipose tissue, for example, in the liver, muscles or even bones, has a negative effect on these organs and the entire body. What effect fat cells have on the pancreas has not been studied in detail until now.
Interval fasting reduces the content of adipose tissue in the pancreas
The researchers divided overweight and diabetic animals into two groups: the first group was allowed to eat as much as they wanted and when they wanted. The second group underwent interval fasting: at first, the rodents received an unlimited amount of food, and the next day they were not fed at all. After five weeks, the researchers observed differences in the structure of the pancreas of mice: fat cells accumulated in the first group. Animals of the second group had almost no fat deposits in the pancreas.
Pancreatic adipocytes cause insulin hypersecretion
To find out how fat cells can disrupt pancreatic function, the researchers isolated adipocyte progenitor cells from the pancreas of mice and allowed them to differentiate into mature fat cells. If mature fat cells were cultured together with pancreatic Langerhans islets, the beta cells of the islets increased insulin secretion. It is possible that increased insulin production causes the islets of Langerhans of diabetic-prone animals to deplete faster and stop working completely after a while. Thus, the accumulation of fat in the pancreas probably leads to the development of type 2 diabetes.
The role of the pancreas in the prevention of diabetes
The data obtained during the study indicate that in order to prevent type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to reduce the accumulation of fat not only in the liver. Under certain genetic conditions, the accumulation of fat in the pancreas can play a crucial role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Interval fasting is a potentially effective therapeutic approach. Advantages: It is non-invasive, easy to stick to, no need for medications.
Interval fasting
Interval fasting is the refusal to eat during certain time intervals, while water, unsweetened tea and black coffee are allowed. Depending on the method, fasting lasts from 16 to 24 hours. Another option is to consume no more than 500-600 calories for two days a week. The most well-known form of interval fasting is the 16:8 method, which means eating only during an eight-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. To do this, one meal – usually breakfast – is skipped.
Islets of Langerhans
The islets of Langerhans are clusters of hormone-producing cells in the pancreas. In a healthy adult, the pancreas contains about a million islets of Langerhans, each with a diameter of 0.2-0.5 millimeters. Beta cells produce insulin, which reduces blood glucose levels, and make up 65 to 80 percent of islet cells. When the blood glucose level is elevated, they release insulin into the bloodstream, reducing the level to normal.
Article by C. Quiclet et al. Pancreatic adipocytes mediate hypersecretion of insulin in diabetes-susceptible mice is published in the journal Metabolism.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Deutsches Zentrum fuer Diabetesforschung: Promising approach: Prevent diabetes with intermittent fasting.