Intermittent Fasting

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is considered to be a new strategy for weight management. It involves voluntary periods of caloric restrictions that are spread during 24-hours. There are different methods of Intermittent fasting that are hypothesized to influence health outcomes. The first type is the complete alternate day method, which involves alternating fasting and eating days. On fasting days, no food or beverages are consumed, on eating days, food and beverages are consumed as desired. Modified fasting regimens involve consuming very low calories on fasting days, which can be as low as 20-25% of energy required. On eating days, normal consumption of food is permitted. Time restricted feeding limits calories during certain times of the day. Other religious fasting patterns are somewhat close to these methods but differ in their purpose.

Benefits and Harms

Studies suggest that Intermittent fasting may reduce cardio-metabolic and inflammatory diseases, as well as activate cardio-protective metabolites. Fasting plays a role in lysosomal activities in our body. Lysosomes are small organelles in our cells that are involved in many processes such as cardiac physiology, nutrient sensing, gene expression, and circadian cycles. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes that help repair or destruct cells when they are damaged. It is found that the cyclic pattern of fasting and feedings may help restore cell hemostasis, and therefore allowing the lysosomes to function properly.

Intermittent fasting also may play a role in increasing the circadian biology functioning. The circadian clock is responsible for managing rhythms such as sleep/wake cycles, hormonal activities, as well as eating, digestion, and metabolism. The master circadian clock is located in the hypothalamus inside the brain and is affected by the light and dark cycles. There is another type of circadian clock found in the liver and is activated by feeding patterns. Studies suggest that disconnecting these two clocks by eating meals late at night interferes with energy balance and may lead to chronic disease risk such as obesity and fatty liver. This shows that interconnecting these clocks by fasting during certain times of the day may improve body metabolism and body weight regulation.

Studies also show that any of the intermittent fasting types result in weight loss, and improvement of hepatic insulin sensitivity. Therefore, reduction in obesity, type-2 diabetes and some cancer risks.

Most studies on intermittent fasting have been conducted on rodents and other mammals. There has been little evidence that suggest intermittent fasting cause physical harm to humans. More research needs to be done on humans to show harms and effects on the use of this method for long periods of time.

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