Eurekalert (eurekalert.org) -by Mary Beth O’Leary
Thursday, June 5, 2014
While chemotherapy can save lives, it can also cause many side effects, including the depletion of immune cells. Also, even in the absence of chemotherapy, normal aging takes a heavy toll on the immune system, leading to immune deficiencies and a higher risk of developing leukemia and a variety of malignancies with age.
Now researchers reporting in the June 5th issue of the Cell Press journal Cell Stem Cell have found that a simple dietary intervention-periodic fasting-may combat both chemotherapy-induced and aging-related changes in immune cell function by replenishing stem cells in the blood.