By Science China PressJanuary 4, 20252 Comments3 Mins Read

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Time-restricted feeding aligns eating patterns with the circadian rhythm, boosting muscle strength and cognitive abilities, thus offering an effective intervention against fatigue.

New research reveals the potential of circadian nutrition, particularly time-restricted feeding, to alleviate fatigue.

The study indicates that aligning food intake with the body’s natural clock can enhance muscle endurance and cognitive function, offering a promising lifestyle change for managing fatigue in industrialized societies.

Circadian Rhythm and Fatigue

A new study from the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Center for Circadian Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, Southwest Hospital, China, addresses the growing challenge of fatigue in modern, industrialized societies.

Fatigue, characterized by reduced muscle endurance, decreased strength, and persistent exhaustion, is often linked to disruptions in circadian rhythms. Despite its widespread impact, the molecular mechanisms behind fatigue are not fully understood. Recent research has shed light on how molecular processes influence daily fluctuations in muscular endurance and has identified promising circadian nutritional strategies that alleviate muscle and cognitive dysfunctions in animal models.

One notable approach, time-restricted feeding, has shown remarkable effectiveness in combating fatigue by targeting both brain and muscle function. These findings suggest that circadian nutrition could serve as a practical and impactful lifestyle intervention to reduce fatigue and enhance overall well-being.Night restricted feeding (NRF), akin to 16:8 intermittent fasting in humans, increases muscle endurance and cognitive performance in obesogenic diet-fed mice. Day restricted feeding (DRF), akin to Ramadan fasting in humans, increases muscular endurance in lean mice throughout the day/night cycle. Mechanistically, the muscle clock regulates the diurnal activities of PPAR and Perilipin-5, which are required for muscle metabolism and contraction. TRF, time-restricted feeding; SCN, suprachiasmatic nucleus. Credit: ©Science China Press

Promising Research in Time-Restricted Feeding

Circadian regulation of muscle fatigue and fatigue-associated cognitive dysfunctions is crucial. Time-restricted feeding (TRF) involves limiting daily food intake to a specific window, creating an intermittent feed-fast cycle. Emerging evidence indicates that night/active phase-restricted feeding (NRF), akin to Writ in humans, aligns the feed-fast cycle with the circadian clock, preventing diet-induced metabolic diseases in mice.

The 16:8 intermittent fasting method restricts eating to an 8-hour window each day, followed by a 16-hour fasting period. This practice leverages the body’s natural metabolic processes, encouraging fat oxidation during fasting and promoting improved insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. Studies suggest that aligning meals with the circadian rhythm can enhance energy levels, support weight management, and lower risks of chronic diseases.

NRF increases muscle endurance in obesogenic diet-fed mice across their lifespan in both sexes. Mechanistically, NRF is associated with increased metabolic flexibility. Day/sleep phase-restricted feeding (DRF), akin to Ramadan fasting in humans, increases muscular endurance in lean mice throughout the day/night cycle. A recent study demonstrates that TRF restores myofiber strength in aged mice through coordinated actions of the brain and muscle clocks.

To date, clinical trials on metabolic diseases have robustly identified circadian nutrition as a safe and easily adoptable lifestyle intervention. It is promising that a detailed understanding of the circadian biology of fatigue at the molecular level could address the social and economic challenges posed by fatigue.

Reference: “Circadian nutrition: is meal timing an elixir for fatigue?” by Zhihui Zhang, Lu Yan, Jonas T. Treebak and Min-Dian Li, 28 November 2024, Science Bulletin.
DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.11.043

This study was led by Dr. Min-Dian Li (Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Center for Circadian Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, Southwest Hospital, China).