We still don’t know all the consequences of fasting. A new study just shed some light

Intermittent fasting has become one of the most popular ways to lose weight. This method has proven to be useful in achieving its goal, not without nuances and controversy, but the consequences of not eating for certain periods of time can affect our health in different ways.

Besides the weight. A team of researchers recently published the findings of their latest study on long-term fasting and its health consequences. In addition to weight loss, the team analyzed the presence of different types of proteins in the participants’ blood and noticed potentially positive changes.

The theory of fasting. As those responsible for the study explain, throughout history people have fasted in different ways and for different purposes. Fasting for medical and religious-cultural reasons is common in our environment. The human body is prepared to survive for more or less long periods of time without consuming food.

During fasting, our body changes the source of its energy. Instead of resorting to food calories, the body begins to exploit its main energy reserve – fat. This is why fasting, especially intermittent fasting, is also a method used for weight loss.

However, our bodies ultimately require food to survive and remain active. That is why it is important to know not only the benefits, but also the risks (physiological and psychological) of these methods.

Twelve participants, seven days, 3000 proteins. The study was conducted on 12 participants, women and men in good health. This small group underwent a seven-day fast based only on water (which they could consume at their discretion).

The team closely monitored the participants. Those responsible for the study took blood samples before, during and after the experiment and examined them for the presence of 2,923 proteins. The details of the process are detailed in the journal article. Natural Metabolism.

It’s not about calories. It is logical that the participants lost weight: about 5.7 kg. The team found that three days after the end of the week of fasting, participants had not gained weight, but had regained the muscle mass lost during that time.

However, it was the analysis of proteins that held the key to the analysis. They noticed that changes in them began to be noticed from the third day of the experiment. They linked some of these changes to health benefits typically associated with fasting, such as rheumatoid arthritis treatment and the SWAP70 protein; or lower cardiovascular risk with HYOU1 protein.

Not without risks. “Fasting, when done safely, is an effective means of weight loss,” Claudia Langenberg, who led the study, said in a press release.

Stopping food intake can cause difficulties in our daily lives; after all, our fat reserve is precisely the reserve that, although it can provide us with energy, does not store other necessary nutrients. To this we can add possible comorbidities that prevent us from fasting, such as diabetes or eating disorders.

Strategy with different methods. Those who want to lose weight while minimizing health risks often resort to intermittent fasting. This is based on limiting the hours of the day during which we consume food. Methods may differ in how we divide the time when we consume food and the time when we do not eat it.

For example, some methods involve stopping eating for 12 or 16 hours and focusing on eating for the remaining 12 or 8 hours. Other methods involve not eating for 24 hours, either once or twice a week, or, more radically, on alternative days.

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Image | Rachel Gorjestani