<aside> 📖 Read the following article

</aside>

Fasting and the Nobel Prize: Understanding Autophagy

Fasting, which means not eating or drinking for a set time, has been done for thousands of years for religious, spiritual, and health reasons. Recently, scientists have studied fasting closely, especially because it triggers a process called autophagy. In 2016, Japanese scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on autophagy.

What is Fasting?

Fasting involves avoiding all or some types of food and drink for a certain period. People fast for different reasons:

• Religious: Many religions use fasting as a spiritual practice.
• Health: Some people fast to improve health, lose weight, or detoxify their bodies.
• Protest: Some use fasting to make a political statement or protest.

What is Autophagy?

Autophagy, meaning "self-eating," is a process where cells break down and recycle their own parts. This is important for:

• Cell Maintenance: Getting rid of damaged parts to keep cells working well.
• Stress Response: Helping cells survive when food is scarce.
• Fighting Infections: Removing harmful bacteria and viruses inside cells.

Yoshinori Ohsumi's Research

Yoshinori Ohsumi’s research in the 1990s discovered the genes and proteins that control autophagy. He used yeast cells to show how autophagy works, revealing its importance for cell health.

How Fasting and Autophagy are Connected

When you fast, your cells don't get nutrients from food, so they activate autophagy to break down and recycle their own parts for energy. This helps cells survive and stay healthy during fasting.

Health Benefits

Understanding autophagy can help with many health problems: