Many people now restrict their meals to an eight-hour window when they have trouble buttoning their pants. However, an increasing number of studies have found that fasting benefits extend beyond weight loss.
Claudia Langenberg, a co-author of the study, stated in a press release that the study demonstrated how the health benefits of fasting extend beyond weight loss. However, these benefits only became visible after completely restricting calories for three days, which was later than previously thought.
The lead author, Maik Pietzner, noted that while fasting may be beneficial for treating certain diseases, it is often not an option for patients with poor health conditions. He hopes that the findings will aid in the development of feasible treatment methods for all patients in the future.
Improving Cognitive Impairment
Fasting can promote brain health. A study published in Nutrients in 2020 followed 99 older individuals with mild cognitive impairment for three years. The results showed that patients who regularly fasted experienced positive changes in cognitive function. The researchers stated that fasting can help improve cognitive function through a ketogenic effect, as ketone bodies have neuroprotective properties that can increase the survival of neurons under pathological conditions such as hypoxia and ischemia.Fasting Benefits in Cancer Treatment
A study published in Nature Communications in 2020 simulated the effects of fasting on early-stage breast cancer patients. The researchers randomly divided 131 patients into two groups, one undergoing a fasting-mimicking diet and the other a regular diet for three days before and during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The results showed that patients receiving the fasting-mimicking diet were likelier to achieve a 90 percent to 100 percent reduction in tumor cells. Furthermore, the fasting-mimicking diet significantly reduced the DNA damage in T-lymphocytes induced by chemotherapy.
Improving Diabetes
Fasting can increase insulin sensitivity. One study showed that fasting could potentially minimize the risk of hypoglycemia in Type 1 diabetes patients, reduce swings in blood glucose levels, and improve fat metabolism in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients.Managing Epilepsy
The use of fasting to treat epilepsy has a 2,500-year history. In the early 1920s, Harvard Medical School began researching the effects of fasting on epilepsy and noted that seizures typically improved after two to three days. The researchers found that the absence of food or carbohydrates forces the body to burn fat, which changes metabolism and can help manage epilepsy.Who Should Avoid Fasting?
While fasting offers various health benefits, it may not suit everyone. If you are considering fasting, be sure to consult your doctor.Though many studies found fasting could control blood sugar, it doesn’t mean every diabetic patient should adopt this diet. Skipping meals and restricting calories can also be dangerous for diabetes, Dr. Frank Hu, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, highlighted on Harvard University’s website.
Additionally, those taking medication for blood pressure or heart disease may be more susceptible to electrolyte abnormalities from fasting.
