Intermittent Fasting: Myths, Fakes and Truth on This Dietary Regimen Approach.
Simone BrogiRita TabanelliSara PucaVincenzo CalderonePublished in: Foods (Basel, Switzerland) (2024)
Intermittent fasting (IF) has been indicated as a valuable alternative to the classical caloric restriction dietary regimen for lowering body weight and preventing obesity-related complications, such as metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes. However, is it effective? In this review article, we analyzed over 50 clinical studies in which IF, conducted by alternate day fasting (ADF) or time-restricted feeding (TRF), was compared with the caloric restriction approach. We evaluated the different roles of IF in treating and preventing human disorders such as metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer, as well as the usefulness of IF in reducing body weight and cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension. Furthermore, we explored the cellular pathways targeted by IF to exert their beneficial effects by activating effector proteins that modulate cell functions and resistance to oxidative stress. In contrast, we investigated concerns regarding human health related to the adoption of IF dietary regimens, highlighting the profound debate surrounding weight loss regimens. We examined and compared several clinical trials to formulate an updated concept regarding IF and its therapeutic potential.
Keyphrases
- body weight
- metabolic syndrome
- cardiovascular risk factors
- insulin resistance
- weight loss
- type diabetes
- endothelial cells
- cardiovascular disease
- blood glucose
- glycemic control
- clinical trial
- oxidative stress
- uric acid
- induced pluripotent stem cells
- blood pressure
- pluripotent stem cells
- bariatric surgery
- papillary thyroid
- cell therapy
- squamous cell carcinoma
- dna damage
- stem cells
- signaling pathway
- skeletal muscle
- mesenchymal stem cells
- magnetic resonance
- risk factors
- mass spectrometry
- roux en y gastric bypass
- body mass index
- weight gain
- heat shock protein
- atomic force microscopy
- high speed