Intermittent Fasting Protects Kidneys of Obese Mice

Markers of kidney and vascular health improved despite mice still being on high-fat diet

(Charlottesville, Va.) June 27, 2022—New research in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity finds that time-restricted feeding improves markers of kidney and vascular health. The research will be presented this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) and American Society for Nephrology Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease conference in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“Eating at the right time of day is important for health and may have health benefits even with a high fat diet.” — Study authors

A research team based out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham fed mice either a high-fat or normal diet. After the mice developed obesity, the researchers split the high-fat diet animals into two groups. Half maintained continuous access to food while the other half had access restricted to the 12 hours they were most active—7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The time-restricted mice showed a number of improvements to their kidney health compared to the other high-fat diet mice. They excreted less of a key marker of kidney damage. They showed less damage to two different parts of the tissue and reversed damage in the space between cells. The small blood vessels in their kidneys had increases in the metabolic coenzyme, NAD+, and activation of the key metabolic enzyme, AMPK, was similar to that of normal-diet mice.

“These data indicate that restricting timing of high fat intake reduces renal damage and increases renal vascular metabolism, perhaps associated with increased AMPK activation, during diet-induced obesity,” the researchers concluded.

Funding for this conference was made possible, in part, by 1 R13 DK132924-01 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease conference will be held June 26–30 in Charlottesville, Virginia. To schedule an interview with the researchers, conference organizers or presenters, contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more highlights in our Newsroom.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.