Ukuzila ukudla kuvame ukusetshenziswa njengendlela ephumelelayo yokwehlisa isisindo, kodwa futhi kusiza umzimba ukulwa nezifo. Ukuzila ukudla izinsuku ezimbili nje kuvumela amangqamuzana omzimba ukuthi avuseleleke, okusiza umzimba ukulwa nezifo.
Ososayensi eNyuvesi yaseSouthern California bahlole umphumela wezinsuku ezingu-2-4 zokuzila ukudla kumagundane nakubantu ezifundweni izinyanga eziyisithupha. Kuzo zombili izimo, emva kwesifundo ngasinye, ukwehla kwenani lamangqamuzana amhlophe egazi aqoshiwe. Emagundaneni, ngenxa yomjikelezo wokuzila ukudla, inqubo yokuvuselelwa kwamangqamuzana amhlophe egazi yaqalwa, ngaleyo ndlela kubuyiselwe izindlela zokuzivikela zomzimba. UWalter Longo, uprofesa wesayensi ye-gerontology nesayensi yezinto eziphilayo e-University of Southern California, uthi: “Ukuzila ukudla kunikeza ukukhanya okuluhlaza ukuze kwandiswe inani lama-stem cell, kubuyisele sonke isimiso. Izindaba ezinhle ukuthi lapho uzila ukudla, umzimba ukhipha amangqamuzana amadala alimele.” Ucwaningo luphinde lwabonisa ukuthi ukuzila ukudla kunciphisa ukukhiqizwa kwe-hormone IGF-1, ehlotshaniswa nobungozi bomdlavuza. Isilingo somtholampilo somshayeli omncane sathola ukuthi ukuzila ukudla amahora angama-72 ngaphambi kokwelashwa ngamakhemikhali kuvimbela iziguli ekubeni zibe ubuthi. “Yize ukwelashwa ngamakhemikhali kusindisa izimpilo zabantu, akuyona imfihlo ukuthi kunemiphumela emibi kakhulu emasosheni omzimba. Imiphumela yocwaningo iqinisekisa ukuthi ukuzila ukudla kungadambisa eminye yemiphumela yokwelapha ngamakhemikhali,” kusho uTanya Dorff, uprofesa osizayo wezokwelapha e-University of Southern California. "Kudingeka ucwaningo olwengeziwe lomtholampilo ngalesi sihloko futhi lolu hlobo lokungenelela kokudla kufanele lwenziwe kuphela ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukadokotela."