Intermittent fasting (IF) offers numerous benefits, with weight loss being the most well-known, but IF has also demonstrated anti-aging and disease-prevention effects.

Personally, I've practiced IF intermittently for many years. For an easy step-by-step guide on how to start, read this article.

Understanding the reasons behind a new habit is crucial for commitment. Let's explore the impressive effects IF can have on your body.

Fat Loss

By reducing the eating window, many people naturally consume fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss, but more importantly, fasting periods trigger metabolic changes that help the body burn fat more efficiently.

During fasting, insulin levels drop, and the body starts to use stored fat for energy, potentially accelerating fat loss compared to continuous calorie restriction.

The key to fat loss: insulin

Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels and fat storage. Here’s how elevated insulin creates weight gain

1. High insulin levels promote fat storage. 

2. Insulin inhibits lipolysis, the process by which fat is broken down for energy. When insulin levels are elevated, fat breakdown slows down, leading to greater fat accumulation. 

3. Elevated insulin levels can affect appetite regulation, leading to increased hunger and overeating. This can further contribute to weight gain if calorie intake exceeds expenditure.

4. Chronic high insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance, where cells become less responsive to insulin. This can result in higher circulating insulin levels and further exacerbate fat storage and weight gain.

Insulin promotes fat storage, suppresses fat breakdown, increases appetite, and may potentially lead to insulin resistance, which collectively contribute to weight gain and increased fat storage.

Summary: Intermittent fasting can reduce calorie intake and lower insulin levels, creating an ideal environment for weight loss.

Anti-Aging and Disease Preventing Effects

According to research IF has the potential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and is protective against heart disease.

• When you fast you increase a bacteria in the gut called Akkermansia. In one study overweight mice were fed Akkermansia, the mice lost weight and stopped developing type 2 diabetes.
• Because IF reduces the overall insulin load on the body, it has an anti-aging effect.
• IF improves cell turnover (autophagy) and takes your body into a state of repair mode, which prevents disease and has an anti-aging effect.
• IF may be able to delay the aging process and reduce neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s).
• Fasting decreases the accumulation of oxidative radicals in the cell, and thereby prevents oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids associated with aging and disease

Intermittent fasting has an anti-aging and disease preventative effect.

Intermittent fasting is an excellent tool for weight loss and preventing diabetes or other metabolic syndromes. I prefer IF over calorie restriction, which has similar health benefits, because I find limiting calories torturous. With intermittent fasting, I can enjoy satiating meals during my eating windows.

 

References

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Patterson, R. E., & Sears, D. D. (2017). Metabolic effects of intermittent fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 37, 371-393. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-071816-064634

Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46-58. DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005

Antoni, R., Johnston, K. L., Collins, A. L., & Robertson, M. D. (2017). Effects of intermittent fasting on glucose and lipid metabolism. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 76(3), 361-368. DOI: 10.1017/S0029665116002986

Cho, Y., Hong, N., Kim, K. W., Cho, S. J., Lee, M., Lee, Y. H., & Lee, J. Y. (2019). The Effect of Intermittent Fasting on Metabolic Health in Humans. Translational Research, 210, 47-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2019.04.006

Brown JE, Mosley M, Aldred S. Intermittent fasting: a dietary intervention for prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease? The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease. 2013;13(2):68-72. doi:10.1177/1474651413486496

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Heilbronn LK, Smith SR, Martin CK, Anton SD, Ravussin E. Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;81(1):69-73. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/81.1.69. PMID: 15640462.

Martin B, Mattson MP, Maudsley S. Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting: two potential diets for successful brain aging. Ageing Res Rev. 2006 Aug;5(3):332-53. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2006.04.002. Epub 2006 Aug 8. PMID: 16899414; PMCID: PMC2622429.

Rojas-Morales P, León-Contreras JC, Aparicio-Trejo OE, Reyes-Ocampo JG, Medina-Campos ON, Jiménez-Osorio AS, González-Reyes S, Marquina-Castillo B, Hernández-Pando R, Barrera-Oviedo D, Sánchez-Lozada LG, Pedraza-Chaverri J, Tapia E. Fasting reduces oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and fibrosis induced by renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Free Radic Biol Med. 2019 May 1;135:60-67. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.02.018. Epub 2019 Feb 25. PMID: 30818054.

Brown JE, Mosley M, Aldred S. Intermittent fasting: a dietary intervention for prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease? The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease. 2013;13(2):68-72. doi:10.1177/1474651413486496