In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that time-restricted eating may help fix the body clock problems seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
Their research, done in mice, showed improved memory and reduced buildup of harmful brain proteins.
This discovery could change how we treat Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects over 6 million Americans and continues to grow as a major health challenge.
For a long time, doctors believed that problems with sleep and the body’s natural clock, called the circadian rhythm, were just side effects of Alzheimer’s. But this new study suggests these problems might actually help cause the disease. That means fixing the body clock could become a new way to treat Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Paula Desplats, the senior author of the study, explained, “We used to think circadian disruptions were a symptom, but now we see they might be a root cause. That makes them a great target for new treatments.”
The research team used mice with signs of Alzheimer’s and gave them food only during a six-hour window each day. The results were impressive. The mice had better memory, were less active at night, and had more regular sleep patterns. Most importantly, they had fewer amyloid protein deposits in their brains—one of the key signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Desplats noted, “The beauty of this method is that it’s simple. It’s not a drug. It’s a lifestyle change anyone can try.”
Because of the success in mice, the scientists are hopeful about testing this method in people. Dr. Desplats added, “This could be an easy way to improve the quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Sleep and activity problems are one of the top reasons people with Alzheimer’s are moved to nursing homes.”
She believes that if restoring a regular daily rhythm can help patients, it could have a huge impact on families and the healthcare system.
The team is planning to study time-restricted eating in human trials next. They are hopeful that people can adopt this habit easily and that it could bring real benefits.
This study also encourages more research into how simple lifestyle changes might play a role in treating Alzheimer’s. The idea that food timing could help protect the brain opens up a new path for scientists.
Other authors of the study include Daniel S. Whittaker, Laila Akhmetova, Daniel Carlin, Haylie Romero, and David K. Welsh from UC San Diego, along with Christopher S. Colwell from UCLA. The research was published on August 21, 2023, in the journal Cell Metabolism.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, check out studies showing that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, and that oral cannabis extract may help ease Alzheimer’s symptoms.
For more about brain health, look into recent research linking vitamin B9 deficiency to a higher dementia risk, and findings that flavonoid-rich foods could help people with Parkinson’s disease live longer.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about the likely cause of Alzheimer’s disease , and new non-drug treatment that could help prevent Alzheimer’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about diet that may help prevent Alzheimer’s, and results showing some dementia cases could be prevented by changing these 12 things.
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