Researchers believe adjusting the clock through dietary manipulation may help patients with various conditions.
An internal biological or 'circadian' clock plays an important role in preferred sleep times, times of peak alertness, and the timing of certain physiological processes.
The clock enables maximum expression of genes at appropriate times of the day, allowing organisms to adapt to the Earth's rotation.
"Chronic desynchronisation between physiological and environmental rhythms not only decreases physiological performance but also carries a significant risk of diverse disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, sleep disorders, and cancer," said Dr Makoto Akashi, of Yamaguchi University in Japan.
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Through experiments in cells and mice, Akashi and his colleagues found, using cell culture, that insulin, a pancreatic hormone that is secreted in response to feeding, may be involved in resetting the circadian clock.
"Insulin-mediated phase adjustment of the clock in feeding-relevant tissues may enable the synchronisation between mealtime and tissue function, leading to effective digestion and absorption," he said.
"In short, insulin may help the stomach clock synchronise with mealtime," he added.
The researchers' findings provide valuable information on how to adjust the circadian clock through dietary manipulation.
The study was published in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports.