When — Not What — Obese Mice Ate Reduced Breast Cancer Risk
Restricting eating to an eight-hour window, when activity is highest, decreased the risk of development, growth and metastasis of breast cancer in mouse models, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center and Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDSH).
The findings, published in the January 25, 2021 edition of Nature Communications, show that time-restricted feeding — a form of intermittent fasting aligned with circadian rhythms — improved metabolic health and tumor circadian rhythms in mice with obesity-driven postmenopausal breast cancer.
“Previous research has shown that obesity increases the risk of a variety of cancers by negatively affecting how the body reacts to insulin levels and changing circadian rhythms,” said senior author Nicholas Webster, PhD, professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine and senior research career scientist at VASDSH. “We were able to increase insulin sensitivity, reduce hyperinsulinemia, restore circadian rhythms and reduce tumor growth by simply modifying when and for how long mice had access to food.”