Intermittent Fasting: Gains And Losses

Have you ever considered that skipping meals might be more than just a quick fix? It turns out that strategic timing of your food intake can be a game-changer for your health, potentially contributing to losing those few extra pounds. Enter the world of intermittent fasting—an influential trend reshaping our perspective on nutrition. It’s not about adhering to a sophisticated “10-step-gut-care routine”; instead, think of it as embracing a rhythmic cycle that aligns with your body’s natural rhythms. It is the practice of time-restricted fasting where you voluntarily abstain from food or beverages, other than water, for a certain amount of time. It can be understood as a slight derivative of age-old traditional fasting practice, which has gained widespread popularity for its numerous health benefits, extending beyond weight management.

At the cellular level, engaging in intermittent fasting triggers a remarkable cascade of physiological responses. When food is available in ample quantity, our body responds dynamically by increasing the production of enzymes and digestive juices, creating an environment conducive to increasing metabolism. This metabolic boost, in turn, propels your cells into a state of rapid proliferation, facilitating cellular renewal and overall vitality. During periods of fasting or limited food availability, your body exhibits an emergency adaptive strategy. Adipose tissues (the repositories of stored fat) undergo a process of degeneration, known as lipolysis, contributing to the mobilization of energy reserves. Simultaneously, the cell cycle is temporarily arrested, conserving energy. This strategic pause in cellular activity allows your body to allocate energy towards crucial repair and maintenance processes, promoting a comprehensive rejuvenation. Intermittent fasting, therefore, can be likened to a sophisticated switchboard that enables a smooth interchange between states of metabolic acceleration and cellular restoration. This intelligent toggling between phases of heightened metabolic activity and focused cellular repair underscores the intricate importance of intermittent fasting. So, in simple words, one can use this strategy to change body composition through loss of fat mass and weight and to improve indicators of health that are associated with disease such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

How To Do It?

Unlike traditional calorie restriction, intermittent fasting focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat. There are several popular methods of intermittent fasting, including:

The 16/8 Method:

• Embracing a 16-hour fasting period followed by an 8-hour eating window, the 16/8 method fosters a rhythmic cycle of nourishment.

• For instance, if you commence eating at noon, your last meal would conclude at 8 p.m., initiating a 16-hour fasting phase until the following day’s noon repast.

The 5:2 Method:

• Offering a blend of regular eating and strategic fasting, the 5:2 method permits individuals to adhere to their typical dietary habits for five days each week.

• On any two non-consecutive days, however, there is a deliberate reduction in calorie intake, providing a balanced yet flexible approach to intermittent fasting.

The Eat-Stop-Eat Method:

• Bearing resemblance to classical fasting practices, the eat-stop-eat method introduces 24-hour fasts once or twice a week.

• During these fasting intervals, individuals abstain from calorie consumption entirely, allowing the body an extended period for metabolic recalibration, repair, and rejuvenation.

Major Health Benefits:

Many studies have been done on intermittent fasting, in both animals and humans. The findings from these investigations reveal compelling evidence of its transformative impact on weight management, overall bodily health, and cognitive well-being. Some intriguing research even suggests that embracing intermittent fasting practices may hold the promise of extending lifespan, adding a fascinating layer to its multifaceted health advantages.

Here are the main health benefits of intermittent fasting:

1. Insulin Resistance:

Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance, with studies revealing a notable reduction in blood sugar levels by 3–6% and a decrease in fasting insulin levels ranging from 20–31%, which should protect against type 2 diabetes., This dual impact not only signifies an improvement in insulin sensitivity but also a significant drop in insulin levels, rendering stored body fat more accessible. In animal studies, it prevented obesity. And, in six brief studies, obese adult humans lost weight through intermittent fasting. People with type 2 diabetes may benefit as most of the available research shows that intermittent fasting can help people lose body weight and lower their levels of fasting glucose, fasting insulin and leptin while reducing insulin resistance, decreasing levels of leptin and increasing levels of adiponectin. Furthermore, noteworthy findings suggest that individuals under the supervision of healthcare professionals while practicing intermittent fasting have achieved remarkable outcomes, with some even successfully reversing their reliance on insulin therapy.

2.Heart Health:

Intermittent fasting may lead to a comprehensive array of cardiovascular benefits by effectively addressing several risk factors associated with heart disease. This dynamic approach has shown promise in lowering levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, and inflammatory markers. Additionally, intermittent fasting contributes to a reduction in blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, both of which play pivotal roles in cardiovascular health. By concurrently addressing these key risk factors, intermittent fasting emerges as a holistic strategy with the potential to fortify heart health and mitigate the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.

3. Human Growth Hormone (HGH):

intermittent fasting triggers a remarkable surge in the production of human growth hormone, soaring to levels as much as 5-fold higher. This surge in HGH offers a multitude of benefits, including but not limited to facilitating fat loss, promoting muscle gain, and contributing to a spectrum of positive metabolic outcomes.

4. Cellular Repair:

When fasted, your cells initiate cellular repair processes. This includes autophagy, where cells digest and remove old and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells.

5. Brain Health:

this fasting method emerges as a neurologically empowering practice by elevating levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key brain hormone. This boost in BDNF not only fosters an environment conducive to the growth of new nerve cells but also holds the potential to act as a protective shield against the onset of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

6. Gene Expression:

There are changes in the function of genes related to longevity and protection against disease. The switch on and off of several genes depends on food eating patterns which act as a direct affecting factor as well as an epigenetic factor.

7. Weight Loss:

As mentioned above, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and belly fat, without having to consciously restrict calories.

8. Inflammation:

Some studies show reductions in markers of inflammation, a key driver of many chronic diseases.

9. Cancer:

Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting may prevent cancer.

10. Anti-Aging:

Intermittent fasting can extend lifespan in rats. Studies showed that fasted rats lived 36–83% longer.

11. Thinking And Memory:

Studies discovered that intermittent fasting boosts working memory in animals and verbal memory in adult humans.

12. Physical Performance:

Young men who fasted for 16 hours showed fat loss while maintaining muscle mass. Mice who were fed on alternate days showed better endurance in running.

13.Tissue Health:

In animals, intermittent fasting reduced tissue damage in surgery and improved results.

What Does The Experts Say?

In today’s world, although numerous dietary and exercise trends find their roots in genuine scientific research as they ascend to mainstream popularity, the original facts often undergo distortion. The benefits of these trends are frequently exaggerated, and the associated risks are downplayed, creating a scenario where scientific principles take a back seat to the persuasive influence of marketing strategies. In the journey from scientific discovery to public awareness, maintaining accuracy and objectivity becomes a delicate balance, often challenged by the allure of sensationalized claims in the pursuit of trendiness. Hence here are the actual findings of scientists researching this.

Dr. Marjolein P. Schoonakker along with her colleagues did several animal and human studies showing that intermittent fasting may have a positive effect on weight, fat distribution, metabolic health, and other health parameters including inflammation, cognitive function, mental health, and the gut microbiome composition.

Eric Ravussin conducted studies on intermittent fasting have concluded that even after fasting every other day, participants report no compensatory eating and high levels of satiety throughout the study. This observation probably reflects an adaptation to the intermittent fasting regimen achieved within a few weeks. Overall, intermittent fasting is novel and a potentially more efficacious intervention for weight loss, preservation of lean mass, and improved metabolic health in humans.

Who Should Not Jump Into This Trend?

This form of dieting may be beneficial for majority of the people but you should always look out for some signs such as Hunger, Fatigue, Insomnia, Nausea and Headaches. This is because different people’s eating habits are trained differently since birth, as people have different dietary preferences depending on religion, culture, geographical location as well as climatic conditions.
You might be at risk of getting those symptoms if you:

1. Have diabetes type 1 as this condition, a small amount of glucose is necessary for survival hence fasting is not advisable.

2. Have problems with blood sugar regulation as the body might react vigorously to energetic stress conditions.

3. Have low blood pressure, which may further be reduced due to lack of glucose leading to fatigue.

4. Take medications. Some antibiotics and other drugs are needed to be taken with proper meals, which otherwise would have toxic effects on the body.

5. Have a history of eating disorders. People with EDs should not preferentially follow such diets as it may trigger it and increase the severity of the condition.

6. Are a woman who is trying to conceive or is pregnant or breastfeeding. During such periods, there is a stiff spike in female gonadotrophin hormones which regulate the menstrual cycle and fetal development. This requires a good supply of oxygen as well as glucose.

If you notice any worsening of your health, it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention. Don’t hesitate to consult with healthcare professionals to address any emerging concerns and ensure timely and appropriate care for your well-being.

Summary

Intermittent fasting, a transformative dietary approach, centers on strategic meal timing to align with the body’s natural rhythms. This practice, including methods like the 16/8 and 5:2, promotes cellular renewal, conserves energy for repair, and offers various health benefits. These include reduced insulin resistance, improved heart health, elevated human growth hormone, and positive impacts on brain function. Supported by experts like Dr. Marjolein P. Schoonakker and Eric Ravussin, intermittent fasting presents a promising approach to weight management and overall well-being. However, caution is advised for those with specific health conditions, and seeking medical advice is crucial if any adverse symptoms arise.

REFERENCES:

1. Civitarese, A. E., Carling, S., Heilbronn, L. K., Hulver, M. H., Ukropcova, B., Deutsch, W. A., Smith, S. R., Ravussin, E., & CALERIE Pennington Team (2007). Calorie restriction increases muscle mitochondrial biogenesis in healthy humans. PLoS Medicine, 4(3).

2. van den Burg, Elske & Schoonakker, Marjolein & Van Peet, Petra & Van den Akker, Elske & Dijk, Ko & Longo, Valter & Lamb, Hildo & Numans, Mattijs & Pijl, Hanno. (2020). Correction to: Fasting in diabetes treatment (FIT) trial: study protocol for a randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded intervention trial on the effects of intermittent use of a fasting-mimicking diet in patients with type 2 diabetes. BMC Endocrine Disorders.

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