The age-related loss of stem cell function can be reversed by a 24-hour fast, according to a new study from MIT biologists. The researchers found that fasting dramatically improves intestinal stem cells’ ability to regenerate, in both aged and young mice, as reported in Cell Stem Cell.

submitted by Orangutan from news.mit.edu

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[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Yeah it's quite bizarre. Even if the profit motive is to blame, you'd figure someone would start a traditional chinese medicine franchise and fund some studies and still make a buck off of it. Maybe that'd be asking for a head on encounter with the FDA or something.

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

There are probably pharma companies working on extracting the active chemicals from chinese medicine products and putting them in to pill form. I would bet money on it.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yeah I think you're right, that's even the case here:

The researchers found that they could also boost regeneration with a molecule that activates the same metabolic switch.

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Hah wow good catch!