Our body has a clock which is set according to the interaction of two different internal systems- sleep/wake homeostat and the circadian rhythm. A lot is known about how these two systems work and interact with each other and what impacts their functioning. However, scientists are continuously researching the way it functions. A new study has said that disruptions in the body clock can be detrimental for your health. The study, published in the Journal of Cell, said that eating time is important knowledge for the body and impacts our health. The study's researchers hoped that their improved knowledge of the body clock can help them alleviate poor health related to disruption of body clock.
Circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that takes place inside every cell of the body and it controls daily rhythms of our physiology, including sleep, hormone levels as well as our body's response to medication. The body clock is synched with the external environment and is impacted by stimuli like daylight and meal timings. This synchronisation is important for your long-term health and it is well-known that when this body clock gets disrupted on account of late-night shift work and travel across time zones, our health suffers. Erratic meal timings have long been known as one of the biggest factors for disturbed body clock. However, it was not known how exactly unusual meal timings disrupted body clock, making it difficult for medical professionals to provide care and advice.
Scientists have now identified the blood sugar regulation hormone insulin, which they say is the primary signal that helps communicate the timings of meals with the internal cellular clocks, strengthening the body clock. The study that was conducted on mice revealed that insulin changes circadian rhythms in different cells and tissues by triggering the release of the protein 'period', which is an important cog in each cell's circadian rhythm. The researchers observed that when the mice' bodies were subjected to insulin at the wrong timings, like when they were sleeping it disrupted normal circadian rhythms, blurring the difference between night and day.
Dr John O'Neill, the lead researcher, said: "At the heart of these cellular clocks is a complex set of molecules whose interaction provides precise 24-hour timing. What we have shown here is that the insulin, released when we eat, can act as a timing signal to cells throughout our body." He added by saying, "We already know that modern society poses many challenges to our health and well being - things that are viewed as commonplace, such as shift-work, sleep deprivation, and jet lag, disrupt our body clock. It is now becoming clear that circadian disruption is increasing the incidence and severity of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes."