20 POWERFUL BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING BACKED BY RESEARCH.
20 reasons how fasting may positively impact your health, including numbered links to relevant studies.
More human and female studies are needed to make precise statements.
For 21 practical reasons to fast click here.
20 (SCIENCE-BASED) REASONS TO FAST
1. Fasting is the quickest way to get into KETOSIS
not eating is a foolproof way to lower insulin, necessary to reach the state of ketosis
ketosis is a metabolic state where you burn fat for fuel
2. May increase METABOLISM
fasted state allows your body to access stored energy and use it for fuel which prevents slowing down your metabolism (1)
3. Causes LESS MUSCLE LOSS vs daily calorie restriction
although weight loss may be similar in both interventions, IF was shown to preserve more muscle mass than daily calorie restriction (2)
4. May lead to REDUCED INSULIN resistance
reduced insulin resistance helps lower blood sugar levels (3)
5. Promotes BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL
IF leads to an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels (4)
blood sugar control is essential for diabetics and for prevention of diabetes (5)
6. Reduces OXIDATIVE STRESS
IF enhances the body’s resistance to oxidative stress, the cause of premature ageing and chronic disease (6)
7. Helps fight INFLAMMATION
another cause of many diseases
a small study showed even a 12 hour fast led to a positive effect on the inflammatory status of the body (7)
8. May help in treatment of MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
by reducing inflammation in the body, fasting has the potential to help treat inflammatory conditions such as multiple sclerosis (8)
9. Helps reduce BLOOD TRIGLYCERIDES
results of this study (9) showed following ADF (Alternate Day Fasting) reduced blood triglycerides by 32%
triglycerides are basically fat in your blood which is ready to be stored in your fat cells.
10. May lead to enhanced HEART HEALTH
enhanced heart health (10) and improved numerous risk factors with fasting could help with lowering the risk of coronary heart disease (11) More human studies are needed.
11. Could boost BRAIN function and structure
animals who were put on ADF regimen demonstrated better learning and memory and lower oxidative stress among other improvements (12)
12. May enhance COGNITIVE function
animal studies further show an increase in the generation of nerve cells as a result of fasting (13)
13. May prevent NEURODEGENERATIVE disorders
animal studies suggest fasting helps protect or reduce the severity of Alzheimer’s disease (14) Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease (15)
14. Can significantly increase HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (HGH)
HGH levels decline as we age which may lead to a decreased quality of life and increased risk of illness. 3-day fast could boost your HGH by more than 300% (16, 17)
15. May delay AGEING
Fasting initiates autophagy, a process of “waste removal” and intracellular repair (18, 19)
16. May increase LONGEVITY and LIFE SPAN
in animal studies, the ones who fasted every other day lived 83% longer than the ones who didn’t fast (20)
17. Could block TUMOUR development
fasting and fast mimicking diets have the potential to prevent cancer. More human studies are needed (21)
18. May increase the effectiveness of CHEMOTHERAPY
fasting has also been shown to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy (22, 23)
19. May aid the growth of new NERVE CELLS
new nerve cells could lead to enhanced brain function (24)
20. Increases the levels of BRAIN hormone BDNF
low levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) have been ascosiated with depression and brain problems, fasting has been shown to increase these levels (25)
