Time-restricted feeding mediated synchronization of circadian rhythms to sustain cardiovascular health

Abstract

Circadian rhythm is critical in maintaining metabolic homeostasis, including cardiac health, with disruptions often leading to adverse cardiac outcomes. Time-restricted feeding/eating (TRF/TRE) is a dietary approach that limits food intake to specific hours during an organism's active phase, daytime for diurnal animals and nighttime for nocturnal ones. This strategy has shown promise in realigning circadian rhythms and reducing the negative effects of circadian disruption on heart function. This review examines the intricate relationship between circadian rhythms and cardiac health, highlighting the molecular mechanisms governed by central and peripheral clocks. We discuss how circadian misalignment contributes to cardiovascular disease and explore how TRF/TRE can restore circadian synchronization, particularly in the context of lipid metabolism, gene expression, and other physiological processes essential for heart function. The review also examines the impact of TRF/TRE on cardiac renovation, particularly under conditions of circadian disruption associated with cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disorders. We further explore potential molecular mechanisms, including the modulation of clock genes and lipid metabolic pathways, such as diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2), that underpin the cardioprotective effects of TRF. By consolidating findings from genetic and translational animal models and human studies, we underscore the promise of TRF/TRE in improving cardiac outcomes and propose areas for future research. The potential of TRF/TRE as a therapeutic intervention for cardiovascular disease warrants further investigation, particularly in understanding its long-term effects on cardiac health and its integration into clinical practice.