A study from the University of Arizona explores whether intermittent fasting could help in the treatment of addiction, specifically related to opioid use.
The research began with the curiosity of then-student David Duron about the effects fasting could have on opioid treatment. The team, led by corresponding author John Streicher, proceeded with a study using mice as subjects.
For the research, mice were placed on a six-hour fasting regimen, eating only within a six-hour window each day, while undergoing opioid injection treatment for one week. At the end of the week, the fasting group showed significantly improved pain relief that lasted longer, including in a post-surgical pain model.
Despite the increased effectiveness of the treatment, the side effects did not increase. Streicher notes this could have important implications for addiction. Opioids activate the brain’s reward circuit, which is the basis of addiction. Control mice, which ate freely, showed the expected reward response to morphine. However, the fasting mice showed no evidence of that reward or euphoric effect.
The findings suggest people undergoing opioid treatment might try intermittent fasting to potentially improve treatment and help reduce the chance of addiction, should similar results be seen in humans.
Other side effects also improved. Tolerance for opioids increased by as much as 100% in the control group. The fasting group saw only about a 40% increase in tolerance, meaning they did not need to increase their dosage as much. The fasting mice also experienced less constipation and recovered faster from the drugs.
“All of these results together suggests side effects are reduced and efficacy is improved,” Streicher said, “which is exactly what you want.”
The team now wants to conduct more studies and clinical trials to understand what is happening in the brain that affects opioid receptors and side effects. Streicher pointed out that unlike a new drug, which requires years of development and approval, a dietary change can be tested more quickly. The researchers are already trying to set up a clinical trial based on these findings to have patients try an intermittent fasting diet during opioid pain therapy.
This research adds to the growing list of potential benefits studied in relation to intermittent fasting, which has also been explored for effects on inflammation and longevity. The broader interest in dietary patterns and their impact on health continues to be a major area of scientific inquiry, with researchers examining how timing of food intake interacts with various physiological processes.
