•Though it has many benefits, it might not work for everyone.
•Consult your doctor before starting the fast.
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Intermittent fasting was once hailed as a powerful strategy for weight loss, but the latest research shows it is not exactly a miracle solution after all.
Intermittent fasting, a common term used by many nowadays, is the process of scheduling all of your eating for the day within a narrow time window, typically from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The idea is that restricting eating to designated times will decrease one’s caloric intake, which will ultimately lead to weight loss.
After all, a 2017 statement from the American Heart Association vouched for the practice, explaining, “Intentional eating with mindful attention to the timing and frequency of eating occasions could lead to a healthier lifestyle and cardiovascular-related risk management.”
According to Hopkins Medicine, some people try intermitting fasting for weight management, while others use the method to address chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol or arthritis. But intermittent fasting is not for everyone.
A new study from the New England Journal of Medicine found that when patients were divided into two groups (one with a calorie restriction and a time restriction, the other with just a calorie restriction) the results showed no benefit from eating within a narrow window.
Those who adhered to intermittent fasting did not see any significant progress in waist circumference, BMI, body fat, blood pressure, or metabolic risk factors compared to the control group.
But both the control group and the variant group in the study lost weight.
The researchers associated this, because the key to success in weight loss is, and continues to be, caloric intake.
“It does not matter when you are eating, so much narrows down to as what you are eating. People ignore they must indulge in eating nutritious, healthy foods, rather than resorting to processed, high calorie foods,” they said.
The study also highlighted some effects the fasting may lead to increased feelings of hunger, heightened irritability, worsened mood, increased thoughts about food, fatigue, fears of feeling out of control around food, overeating during eating windows, and difficulty concentrating.
Intermittent fasting reduces the amount you eat, but it may have a downside.
It both reduces the amount of physical activity you do and reduces how hard you push during exercise.
The study also found that even just three weeks of this diet led to a greater loss of muscle mass than a daily calorie restriction diet.
Muscle mass is crucial for many reasons, including regulating blood sugar levels and staying physically able as we get older.
So diets that cause muscle loss are best avoided.
However, combining intermittent fasting with exercise programs such as resistance training may help people better maintain lean muscle mass while encouraging fat loss.
“Keep in mind that intermittent fasting may have different effects on different people,” they said.
“Talk to your doctor before starting the journey. Additionally, most of the research on intermittent fasting is based on animal research, with little long-term research on humans available.”