New research has been shedding light on the importance of synchronizing food intake times with our circadian rhythms, which are the 24-hour biological clock regulating internal physiological functions. According to Marta Garaulet, professor of Physiology at the University of Murcia and expert in chrononutrition, disruptions in these biorhythms can lead to health issues such as obesity, cancer, depression, and metabolic alterations.
Garaulet emphasizes the significance of mealtime as a synchronizer of peripheral clocks in food-related organs such as the liver and pancreas. Eating at the wrong time can lead to metabolic alterations, disrupting the body’s ability to respond to food properly. Additionally, the body’s ability to manage food varies throughout the day, making meal timing just as important as meal composition.
Furthermore, research has shown that alterations in circadian rhythms can impact not only digestive pathologies, such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases, but also sleep patterns. Disruptions in natural meal times can lead to difficulties with digestion and sleep.
The figure of fasting also makes its way into the discussion of chrononutrition, with fasting early in the day being seen as more effective than fasting later in the day. However, there are still many doubts to be resolved, as there are many different fasting protocols and it is unknown which is best for influencing circadian rhythms.
Despite the expanding awareness of chrononutrition, there are no one-size-fits-all recommendations for the appropriate time to eat. Genetic predispositions can make individuals more predisposed to be morning or evening people, meaning that the timing of meals affects each person differently.
As research in chrononutrition continues to expand, it is clear that understanding the relationship between temporal eating patterns, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health is an essential factor in achieving overall health and wellbeing.