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New study examines health benefits of fasting for the heart

DCUK NewsBot

DCUK NewsBot

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A new study has reviewed recent evidence about the beneficial effects of intermittent fasting (IF) for the heart. There is a lot of research on the effects of meal timing and frequency on metabolic health, prediabetes development and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. But far less is known about fasting for heart disease prevention. Previous research suggests that time-restricted feeding lowers body weight and improves a cluster of metabolic conditions that can lead to heart disease, such as elevated cholesterol, insulin resistance and high blood pressure. The new study review discusses findings from a recent American Heart Association's (AHA) statement on the subject of fasting and heart health, as well as human studies looking specifically at alternate-day fasting (ADF) and fasting-mimicking diets. ADF is when one alternates between a day of reduced calorie intake and a free-feeding day. The fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) achieves changes similar to those caused by fasting through lowering calories by half and slashing sugar and protein. According to Texas Tech University researchers who reviewed the AHA statement, which includes data from ten studies, ADF can lead to an average weekly weight loss of 0.75 kg in some people. ADF or periodic fasting regimens ranging from six to 24 weeks in length were shown to reduce total cholesterol by six to 21 per cent, LDL cholesterol by seven to 32 per cent and triglycerides by 16 to 42 per cent. In such a short time, ADF also reduced systolic blood pressure by three to eight per cent, and diastolic blood pressure by six to ten per cent. The greatest improvements were seen in participants who lost six per cent or more of their body weight. A year-long study comparing ADF to traditional daily calorie restriction in obese people did however find that ADF increased LDL, but this was initially accompanied by higher HDL cholesterol. In shorter trials of ADF, lasting from two days to 12 weeks in duration, fasting led to improvements in body weight, fat mass, triglycerides, LDL particle size and C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and sign of impending heart trouble. One study showed that a five-day monthly cycle of FMD (made up of about 10% proteins, 30% carbs and 60% fat) for three months reduced waist circumference by 4 cms and lowered fasting glucose by 11 per cent in those with elevated blood sugars. Although the FMD didn't affect cholesterol levels differently than the control diet, it achieved a 13 to 15 per cent reduction in Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). High IGF-1 levels tend to be associated with an increased risk for heart failure. Researchers are still trying to determine whether the benefits of the FMD are attributable to calorie restriction, unique metabolic effects of fasting, or some combination of both. Further research is needed comparing IF to calorie restriction and investigating long-term improvements in heart disease risk factors with different fasting protocols. The findings were published in the journal Future Cardiology.

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Guzzler said:
@ickihun

I thought you might be interested in this.
Click to expand...
I'll be honest with you @Guzzler I'm avoiding IF as I can get obsessive about dieting so I'm happy to stick with what I'm doing. After xmas I will be hugely stricter with low carbing so I should return back to losing 1kg a week. Which I'm more than happy to do.
I can see why IR is gentler on CVD as no spikes or severe dips in bgs which is what stresses the arteries out and reduces blood flow to the heart via inflammation and hardening of the arteries.
Metformin helps with the heart too, which I have to use for pcos even if I get my diabetes in remission.
I'm a hormonal wreck without metformin. I produce too much testosterone and lose my menstral cycle. Add weight and become very hairy...like a man. Ha ha
I know I could probably do both metformin and IR but I just don't want more confusion and harder maintenance when I'm up to my neck in so much more than diabetes at the moment. (All children needs related).
Same reason I'm not doing ND either.
I know I wouldnt do them justice at the moment. But I would never write them off for the future.
I'm hoping to be around a lot longer yet.
Bariatric surgery has higher success than ND, that has now been published. IF is a great tool for type2 diabetics too.
All these options are great but I need something to help me now and in my current state. I cannot wait until I haven't young children and sick hubby taking my time. I need to steal the time from them and take it to make me well. Well enough to continue being around, for another 30-40yrs hopefully. My ancestors live into their 90s if not killed by old diseases or war.
I want the same, I'm entitled.
I read somewhere that diabetes now added 5yrs off your life and no longer 10yrs as once predicted. I think good meds and a hard working nhs has made that difference, not IF it seems.
But that could reduce more once IF is more commonly used? I think so too.
 
ickihun said:
I'll be honest with you @Guzzler I'm avoiding IF as I can get obsessive about dieting so I'm happy to stick with what I'm doing. After xmas I will be hugely stricter with low carbing so I should return back to losing 1kg a week. Which I'm more than happy to do.
I can see why IR is gentler on CVD as no spikes or severe dips in bgs which is what stresses the arteries out and reduces blood flow to the heart via inflammation and hardening of the arteries.
Metformin helps with the heart too, which I have to use for pcos even if I get my diabetes in remission.
I'm a hormonal wreck without metformin. I produce too much testosterone and lose my menstral cycle. Add weight and become very hairy...like a man. Ha ha
I know I could probably do both metformin and IR but I just don't want more confusion and harder maintenance when I'm up to my neck in so much more than diabetes at the moment. (All children needs related).
Same reason I'm not doing ND either.
I know I wouldnt do them justice at the moment. But I would never write them off for the future.
I'm hoping to be around a lot longer yet.
Bariatric surgery has higher success than ND, that has now been published. IF is a great tool for type2 diabetics too.
All these options are great but I need something to help me now and in my current state. I cannot wait until I haven't young children and sick hubby taking my time. I need to steal the time from them and take it to make me well. Well enough to continue being around, for another 30-40yrs hopefully. My ancestors live into their 90s if not killed by old diseases or war.
I want the same, I'm entitled.
I read somewhere that diabetes now added 5yrs off your life and no longer 10yrs as once predicted. I think good meds and a hard working nhs has made that difference, not IF it seems.
But that could reduce more once IF is more commonly used? I think so too.
Click to expand...

Hi there, I just thought it was interesting. I was in no way suggesting you should do IF. As I have never done it I have no idea what the experience is like. I'd love to have a go but I am on a couple of drugs that I have to take with food and unless things change I will always be on them. I find it fascinating, though, that we sometimes think of fasting as unusual when in reality the opposite is true, most people eat far too much in the West.

Edited to add. You are right in that IF is another tool that can be used and the more tools we have the greater our chances of beating D.
 
Guzzler said:
Hi there, I just thought it was interesting. I was in no way suggesting you should do IF. As I have never done it I have no idea what the experience is like. I'd love to have a go but I am on a couple of drugs that I have to take with food and unless things change I will always be on them. I find it fascinating, though, that we sometimes think of fasting as unusual when in reality the opposite is true, most people eat far too much in the West.

Edited to add. You are right in that IF is another tool that can be used and the more tools we have the greater our chances of beating D.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry if I might have come across harsher than normal but I have one poster who PM's me and is insistent that I do IF. She has totally put me off with her very very long messages trying to sell me IF. In the end I've had to block her constant boring repetitive sell. Which is a shame as sometimes she does come out with some common sense unique ideas. Humf. I think I see the word IF and is totally put off.
Like you thou, I might need it in the future.
What doesn't work one year may work another time. I definitely know that to be true about type2 and IR.
 
ickihun said:
I'm sorry if I might have come across harsher than normal but I have one poster who PM's me and is insistent that I do IF. She has totally put me off with her very very long messages trying to sell me IF. In the end I've had to block her constant boring repetitive sell. Which is a shame as sometimes she does come out with some common sense unique ideas. Humf. I think I see the word IF and is totally put off.
Like you thou, I might need it in the future.
What doesn't work one year may work another time. I definitely know that to be true about type2 and IR.
Click to expand...

Yes, people who almost 'demand' that you do their regime just because it worked for them in particular should be aware that as we age we may find that what once worked well may need tweaking in the future. My thoughts are that we should not close ourselves off in terms of options, why limit ourselves?
We are all unique and that means that we have to find what works for us as individuals. I sometimes wonder if some people are unable to understand that the status quo (physiologically) can change over time. I have certainly learned developing other health conditions has a direct bearing in terms of Diabetes and my approach is not the same as those others who follow LCHF but it matters little to me because they do not stand (or sit!) In my shoes.
 
It's a very exciting study. More research is coming out around this topic and it's nice the trend is finally about a lifestyle change. Fasting isn't for everyone, though. Luckily, there are now options available where you don't necessarily have to follow IF.
 
My only concern is if I started it that I would become obsessed with it and start not eating at all, again.
Many will not have that worry so I would say give it a go if nothing else is working. An option which may not be acceptable in dieticians eyes but neither is low carbing.
 
Don’t call it fasting. Think of how we used to eat 30+ years ago before everyone’s home had a freezer, microwave and boxed snacks. We used to cook every meal and that takes time. Everyone ate dinner between 5-7pm and didn’t snack again until 7-8am the next day. Somewhere along the way the food companies shamed us for skipping breakfast rather than letting us eat only when we feel hungry.
 
I've always preferred no breakfast or something very low in quantity. For decades.
Maybe that's why I'm at a bmi of 44?
 
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