Intermittent fasting may ease chronic pain by reshaping gut-brain communication
A new study suggests that timing meals through intermittent fasting can reduce chronic pain by strengthening the gut barrier and altering gut bacteria.
Scientists published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity have found that intermittent fasting may mitigate chronic pain by modulating the gut-brain axis. In animal studies, fasting reinforced the intestinal barrier, preventing inflammatory substances from reaching nervous tissue. The dietary pattern also increased the gut microbe Alistipes finegoldii, which produces compounds that the body converts into hippuric acid.
This molecule dampens the STING signaling pathway, curbing neuroinflammation that aggravates pain and cognitive deficits. When the bacteria or hippuric acid were administered to non-fasting animals, similar improvements in pain perception and mental function were observed. The authors note that the research is preliminary, with individual responses likely varying based on microbiome composition and health status. They stress that fasting is not a cure but could inform future gut-targeted treatments for chronic pain.
Why it matters
If confirmed, dietary timing could become a low-cost tool for managing persistent pain and related cognitive issues.
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