Personal Health

New study results: As the interval of the impact of fasting on the body

The principle of interval fasting is simple: eat breaks alternate with periods in which virtually everything can be eaten. The most common Form of fasting after the 16:8 method. In a time window of eight hours and food is allowed after 16 hours fasted. People who try this method report numerous positive effects on the well-being, including weight loss. Scientific studies of the method are, however, yet rar.

Researchers at the University of Graz have now examined how a more stringent Form of the interval fasting – the alternating fasting affects the body. For this, they divided the healthy, normal weight people in two groups. The participants of one group were required to fast for a total of 36 hours – a day and two nights. Afterwards, they were allowed to eat for twelve hours. During the four-week Trial, they were able to reduce their total calorie intake significantly, to 37.4 percent. The control group was allowed to eat normally, and no special diet needed to comply with reduced calorie share of 8.2 percent.

In both groups, the participants took part with great Distinction. The almost lost an average of 3.5 kilograms, the comparison group, however, less than 200 grams. The fast diet also improved several Health parameters of the subjects, including those that are associated with longevity and heart health. Even after six months revealed no adverse effects due to the alternating fasting.

If the interval of fasting is suitable for losing weight better than traditional diets, on the basis of the study design, however, does not say. Is evidenced, however, that the participants were able to reduce their amount of calories by using the method drastically, which led to a decline.

The scientists are still large pieces in the method: Thus, alternating fasting could become the Standard in the weight reduction and, among other things, help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, they write in the journal “Cell Metabolism”. Scientists who are not involved in the study, to see these conclusions, however, are rather critical.

The weight loss and improvement of metabolic parameters might have been expected “to” and the reduction in calories due to, says Tilman Kühn, head of the research group of nutrition epidemiology at the German cancer research center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Added: Alternating fasting is for healthy, overweight people often endure, this would studies show. The same is true for the milder 5:2 interval fasting.

Change in diet? Only after consultation with doctor

The effects were not the result of the fasting, “but rather on the reduction of energy as such,” stresses Jürgen König, head of the Department of nutritional Sciences at the University of Vienna. The importance of a sustainable reduction of body weight, but how to achieve this is to be answered “is very difficult in General”. The personal Situation of the Individual should be taken into account. “Therefore, there is, in my view, there is currently no General recommendation for a certain Form of fasting or energy reduction”.

Stefan Kabisch by the German Institute for nutritional research (DIfE) warns against jumping to conclusions. Further research is necessary to be able to the effects of interval fasting, and conventional diets better compare. Kabisch refers to risks for chronically ill people. “Any Form of Diet should only be done in consultation with the attending physician and under control.”

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