Intermittent fasting is all the rage currently, and everybody seems to be doing it. A quick Google search puts intermittent fasting among the most popular diets for various goals, particularly weight loss.
Part of its appeal is that it focuses less on what you can eat (although this is also important, especially for shedding pounds). What matters is when you eat.
So, is intermittent fasting worth it? Read on to find out the benefits and side effects to expect in your IF life.
Intermittent Fasting- What It Is
Intermittent fasting (or IF in short) involves cycling between regular periods of voluntary fasting (or reduced calorie intake) and eating.
There are different ways of approaching it, with the 12-hour IF program being one of the best for beginners. Alternate-day and 18/6 intermittent fasting schedules are some of the most extreme types of IF. But they are the best when it comes to losing weight fast.
Regardless of your approach, the principle is the same: you eat normally for a specific period each day (or week) and fast (or reduce your calorie intake) for the remaining period.
Evidence-based Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
May Help Lose Body Fat
Weight loss is the best-known benefit of intermittent fasting. Although small and of short duration, current studies show that IF can effectively manage weight.
In a study involving 100 participants, alternate-day fasting contributed to a 6.0% weight loss over one year. However, it’s important to note that daily calorie restriction led to almost similar results at 5.3%. An analysis of 40 studies shows that IF can lead to an average weight loss of 7-11 pounds in 10 weeks.
It Can Help Prevent, Manage, and Reverse Diabetes
Intermittent fasting helps manage diabetes in two ways – by promoting weight loss and increasing insulin sensitivity.
Weight loss is key to managing diabetes because it reduces fat build-up around the liver and pancreas. Excess fat around these organs is linked to insulin resistance, which eventually leads to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
IF may also help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. This may lead to improved insulin sensitivity, leading to lower insulin requirements.
Moreover, intermittent fasting has been shown to reverse type 2 diabetes. In a study on the effectiveness of IF on diabetes remission, 17 out of 36 participants reverted to a non-diabetic state and stopped using antidiabetic drugs for at least one year.
May Lower Cancer Risk
Whether intermittent fasting helps prevent and treat cancer in humans remains unanswered. However, animal experiments show that IF has an anti-cancer effect.
Most studies show that IF can help improve cancer risk variables, including lowering insulin, glucose, and leptin levels.
Fasting also helps lower the risk of certain cancer types and also reduces the number of lesions.
As the risk of cancer among people under 50 increases, intermittent fasting may be a worthy addition to other preventative measures.
May Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular diseases are a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. The actual causes of cardiovascular diseases vary by type, but underlying chronic inflammation in the blood vessels is a common factor. This inflammation may restrict or block blood flow completely, increasing the risk of angina, heart attack, and stroke.
The good news is that IF can reduce such inflammation by effectively lowering the production of pro-inflammatory cells called monocytes. In addition, intermittent fasting induces autophagy, which suppresses inflammation.
Promotes a Longer Life
All the benefits of intermittent fasting mentioned above promote a longer and healthier life. But there’s more. Cutting back on food has also been found to slow aging in several ways, including;
- Reducing oxidative stress
- Increasing the production of human growth hormone
- Improving cognitive health
- Enhancing insulin sensitivity
- Improving mitochondrial function
- Activating autophagy- the body’s self-cleansing system
What About Intermittent Fasting Side Effects?
There are always two sides to every story (or, in this case, diet regimen). Intermittent fasting has its bad side, too, which you must understand before joining the bandwagon.
Hanger (hunger-induced irritability) will be your major challenge when you start IF. But this shouldn’t be surprising if you’re used to the modern diet characterized by at least three large meals and snacking in between.
Hunger symptoms tend to have a higher score during the first days but resolve as the body adapts to the new eating pattern.
Fatigue is another side effect to expect when you start IF. Intermittent fasting fatigue can be due to the shift from burning glucose from food to stored fat. Moreover, IF can cause sleep issues at the beginning, causing tiredness during the day.
You should be concerned about intermittent fasting fatigue because it’s a form of impairment. It can cause slower reactions, absent-mindedness, lack of attention, and memory lapses.
Digestive problems, such as constipation, diarrhea, and bloating, are another issue that affects most people on an intermittent fasting regimen. Lack of water and poor dietary fiber intake are the major causes of constipation when doing IF.
Diarrhea during intermittent fasting is not common. However, it may happen when you break the fast, and it’s often related to the meal, food quantity, and eating speed. Avoid high-fat meals when breaking a fast, as they heavily induce bile secretion, leading to watery stool.
Conclusion
The health benefits of intermittent fasting abound. Multiple short-term studies prove that time-restricted feeding can promote weight loss, slow aging, and prevent various diseases.
But it’s also worth noting that intermittent fasting has its side effects. Also, while most of us could benefit from going on an empty stomach for several hours, IF is not for everyone.
To be clear, individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those who are taking medication, those struggling with weight gain, and those under 18 years of age should consult a doctor first before attempting IF.
If you’re a good candidate for IF, start with a beginner-friendly approach like the 12-hour intermittent fasting and remember to take things slow.
