Intermittent fasting, a popular health and fitness trend, involves alternating cycles of eating and fasting. It does not specify the foods to eat, rather, it focusses on when to eat them. This blog covers the science behind intermittent fasting and why it may be beneficial for your health.
How Intermittent Fasting Works
Intermittent fasting is more of an eating pattern than a diet. It divides the day or week into ‘eating periods’ and ‘fasting periods’. During the fasting periods, no food is consumed, while during eating periods, food can be consumed. Commonly followed methods include the 16/8 method, eat-stop-eat, and the 5:2 diet.
Eeffects of Intermittent Fasting on Cells and Hormones
When you fast, your body adjusts hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible, your cells initiate repair processes and change the expression of genes.
- Insulin levels drop significantly which facilitates fat burning
- The human growth hormone may increase as much as five-fold, benefitting fat loss and muscle gain
- Cellular repair processes, like autophagy where cells digest and remove old proteins, start to occur
- There are changes in the function of genes related to longevity and protection against disease
Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting can have many health benefits, including weight loss, improved brain health, and increased longevity.
- Weight and Body Fat Loss: Intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and belly fat without restricting calories.
- Improved Mental Function: The practice can increase a brain hormone called BDNF and may aid the growth of new nerve cells.
- Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance and protect against type 2 diabetes.
- Improved Cardiovascular Health: It can reduce various risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, inflammatory markers, blood triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
Intermittent fasting is a science-backed method to improve health. It can simultaneously improve metabolic health, increase fat loss, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. As with any change in your diet or lifestyle, you should consult a healthcare professional before beginning intermittent fasting to ensure it’s right for you.