Even just thinking you’re hungry could change your immune system – new research in mice

The synthetic hunger state led to a marked drop in specific immune cells in the mice's blood. IhorL/ Shutterstock

Feeling hungry doesn’t just make you reach for a snack – it may also change your immune system.

In a recent study in mice, we found that simply perceiving hunger can change the number of immune cells in the blood, even when the animals hadn’t actually fasted. This shows that even the brain’s interpretation of hunger can shape how the immune system adapts.

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