Written by Kento Pollard
Intermittent fasting is a weight loss protocol which has been gaining popularity over the last few years. It involves having periods with limited or no food consumption and boasts many health benefits, some of which we’ve listed below!
Pros.
- Reduced feeding time leads to weight loss.
- Some research shows a decrease in total cholesterol, LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides. [1]
- In rodent studies it was shown to increase life span and reduce age-related disease. [2][3]
- An American Heart Association study found that it can have protective effects on the heart post-myocardial infarction (Heart attack). [4]
Cons
- Several different protocols exist and so the ‘optimal’ method is unknown.
- It may not line up with social obligations e.g., having to skip meals when getting food with friends or family.
- Some methods require whole day fasts which may be difficult to stick to. [1]
- There is still more research that needs to be completed before all of the proposed benefits can be scientifically verified. [1]
Take home:
Intermittent fasting is a great way to help manage your food intake and can be very useful as a temporary dieting tool to help lose weight. While there may be other long term health benefits to intermittent fasting, it’s still too early to definitively support these claims. It’s also not for everyone, so make sure if you’re considering intermittent fasting you check in with your medical health professional as to whether it’s the right fit for you.
References:
- Grant M. Tinsley, Paul M. La Bounty, Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 73, Issue 10, October 2015, Pages 661–674, https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuv041
- Mark P. Mattson, Ruiqian Wan, Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Volume 16, Issue 3, March 2005, Pages 129-137, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2004.12.007
- Mark P. Mattson, Valter D. Longo, Michelle Harvie, Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes, Ageing Research Reviews, Volume 39, October 2017, Pages 46-58, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005
- Ismayil Ahmet, Ruiqian Wan, Mark P. Mattson, Edward G. Lakatta, Mark Talan, Cardioprotection by Intermittent Fasting in Rats, Circulation, Volume 112, Issue 20, November 2005, https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.563817