Fasting and apoptosis: a mini review

Fasting, that is usually described as abstinence from all food and drink for a period of time, has been experienced for ages. Health, protest, religious expressions of devotion and purification are the most important reasons for fasting. Many changes occur in the body during fasting including metabolic, mineral, hormonal, immunological and psychological. Its use as one of the oldest therapies among human populations has been recognized. Also its effects on many abnormalities for medical and therapeutic purposes have been investigated in animals and human. Recently studies have considered its role in apoptosis (or programmed cell death), and subsequently its outcome on the cell processes. Apoptosis is a dynamic process that occurs in multicellular organisms and is described by changes in many cellular processes, and biochemical alterations that lead to morphological cell changes, self-destruction and cell death. It also limits the accumulation of tumor cells. In this mini-review article the relationship between fasting and apoptosis has been summarized.