Isomalto-oligosaccharide with intermittent fasting and brain function in mice
What it found
Adding isomalto-oligosaccharide to intermittent fasting improved memory problems caused by a high-fat, high-sugar diet in mice.
The combination worked better than fasting alone.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Memory and thinking in mice
Both intermittent fasting and the combination with isomalto-oligosaccharide reduced thinking problems in mice on a high-fat, high-sugar diet. The combination worked better than fasting alone.
Brain inflammation in mice
In mice, the combination lowered signs of brain inflammation and blocked a specific inflammatory signal in the hippocampus, the brain area tied to memory.
Transplanted gut bacteria
Moving gut bacteria from treated mice into other mice improved their thinking. This happened through lower inflammatory signals and higher levels of a brain-supporting protein called BDNF.
Weight regain in mice
Mice previously given the combination kept better thinking skills when they regained weight. Their brains showed less inflammation and their gut bacteria stayed more balanced, without any change in body weight.
Studies in people and animals
Gut bacteria changes
Both approaches changed gut bacteria and boosted short-chain fatty acid production in mice. The combination had stronger effects. Human database records supported these links.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that adding isomalto-oligosaccharide to intermittent fasting strengthens its ability to ease thinking problems linked to obesity in mice.
- The authors propose this combination as a new dietary approach for brain conditions related to obesity, especially during periods of losing and regaining weight.
How it was done
The authors note that thinking problems linked to obesity are a major public health concern. They wanted to see if combining isomalto-oligosaccharide with intermittent fasting could help.
Mice were fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet to cause weight gain and thinking problems. Some mice then did intermittent fasting alone or combined with isomalto-oligosaccharide. Researchers also checked human gut bacteria databases and moved treated mouse gut bacteria into other mice to test effects.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These results come from mice, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The human data used only came from existing databases rather than a direct trial in people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Shaanxi Normal University, China; Henan University of Technology, China; Qinghai University, China
The paper
- Title
- Isomalto-Oligosaccharide Potentiates Alleviating Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Obesity-Related Cognitive Impairment during Weight Loss and the Rebound Weight Gain
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Liu T, Zhou L, Dong R, et al (2024). Isomalto-Oligosaccharide Potentiates Alleviating Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Obesity-Related Cognitive Impairment during Weight Loss and the Rebound Weight Gain. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.4c07351PubMed 39431286DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error