Wrong Place At The Wrong Time: The Pivotal Relationship Between Feeding Behavior and Circadian Rhythm

A college kid’s two favorite methods to coping with stress: food and sleep. The relationship between the foods we digest and the rhythm of our sleep would seem to be non-existent. However, decades of research suggest otherwise. The circadian rhythm is more than just sleeping and waking. In fact, it encompasses so many different behavioral and physical changes that impact our daily lives. The circadian clock dictates our sleep, feeding, drinking, metabolic rate, body temperature, and activity level. The mechanisms that exist in the circadian system are intriguing; as technology and research continues to develop.

In a lecture conducted by Austin Dreyer about his research publication “A Peptidergic Circuit Links the Circadian Clock to Locomotor Activity,” Dreyer discusses Drosophila melanogaster and the circadian clocks affects on numerous metabolic factors. Dreyer discusses the three key components to the circadian system: the input, the circadian clock, and the output. In the circadian clock, there is a Central clock that is located in the clock cells and produces rhythms via a transcription-based feedback loop. This mechanism is not strictly for fruit flies, however there are key factors that play a role in fruit fly feedback loops such as the PER (period) protein, Tim (timeless), CLK (clock), and CYC (cycle) proteins. The first two proteins respectively increase mRNA daily during the day, establishing circadian rhythms in pacemaker cells. The output consists of measuring the locomotors and feeding activity. In the automated feeding activity, flies are given food over a long period of time. Dreyer’s research indicates that certain cells played a role in the feeding behavior in relation to the circadian rhythm. It was found that DH44 cells control feeding neurons, despite not disrupting the actual feeding rhythms. The data indiated that SIFa and Dilp2 impact feeding bahvior along with IPCs, which release insulin-like peptides. Rescue Sifa gene was shown to also save feeding behavior and rhythm. In the discussion, Dreyer’s research team came to the conclusion that feeding behavior can be impacted by the circadian rhythm and vise-versa. 

These findings were also consistent with the article,“When We Eat, or Don’t Eat, May be Critical For Health”, written in the New York Times by Anahad O’Conner, discusses the 24-hour cycles that are known as the circadian clock. In his research, studies are shown that “chronically disrupting this rhythm — by eating late meals or nibbling on midnight snacks, for example — could be a recipe for weight gain and metabolic trouble.”  Research suggests that people improve their metabolic health when they eat their meals in a daily 8-10 hour window. The thousands of genes that switch on and off simultaneously cause the inconsistency of our metabolism. The function of the pancreas, which controls blood sugar levels, and the clock of the gut, which regulates the absorption of nutrients, will be disrupted by inconsistent feeding habits. Because melatonin is released at night due to the lack of sun, Dr. Peterson, a researcher in the article, states that “Eating late in the evening sends a conflicting signal to the clocks in the rest of the body that it’s still daytime.” Dr. Panda conducted an experiment based on this finding. In the experiment, scientists found that assigning healthy adults to delay their bedtimes and wake up later than normal for ten days “raised their blood pressure and impaired their blood sugar control.” Several experiments were conducted indicating that time-restricted regimens impacted the health benefits and risks that each individual may have.

Both respective studies are critical to preventing feeding and sleeping abnormalities that may impact the mental and physical health of those who disrupt the metabolic function of the circadian clock. It is important for society to recognize the everlasting impact that consumption of not only unhealthy foods, but consumption at unhealthy hours in order to prevent sleeping disorders and eating disorders as well. Future directions could lead to even more optimal times for people to eat.

O'connor, Anahad. “When We Eat, or Don't Eat, May Be Critical for Health.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 July 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/07/24/well/when-we-eat-or-dont-eat-may-be-critical-for-health.html.