The Top 7 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day… right?

There are mounds of evolving evidence that have recently come forth countering this age-old belief. Now while the above may be true for some, a schedule of periodic fasting actually serves many benefits.

Most of the arguments against fasting are: “I get dizzy if I do not eat”, “I need food for energy”, or “I need it to focus and be productive”. I get it – if you are not used to the feeling of an empty stomach, fasting can be unbearable.

 

What is intermittent fasting?

The definition of fasting is “consciously not eating for an extended period of time” (1).

Fasting intermittently is the process of scheduling and following time periods of food abstinence. The most typical time interval is the 16:8 – 16 hours of fasting, and an 8-hour gap to eat. Other schedules include the 5:2 (two full days of 24 hour fasting per week), 6:1 (one 24 hour fast per week), skipping breakfast, skipping dinner, etc.

The trend for intermittent fasting has picked up wildly over the last decade, and many swear by its results.

Chris Hemsworth switched to a 15:9 fasting regimen to prepare for his upcoming movie “In The Heart of the Sea”. Wim Hof, otherwise known as “The Ice Man” has eaten just one meal a day for 38 years. And Terry Crews calls intermittent fasting his fountain of youth (2, 3).

I have been on a 16:8 fasting schedule for just over a year now, and I can tell you the benefits I have reaped have tremendously outweighed the few negatives I was warned. Some of these benefits include:

• Laser focus in the mornings
• More stimulating workouts
• Easier to maintain weight
• Enhanced quality of sleep

A lot of the research against fasting debates that those who skip breakfast have a 27% increased risk of heart disease and 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. This evidence is based off the fact that most people who skip breakfast are not doing it for the purpose of fasting – they forget to eat, or are in a rush to go to work and naturally live unhealthier lifestyles altogether (4, 5).

Many who argue against fasting also fail to mention that men who eat late at night have a 55% greater chance of obtaining cardiovascular disease than those who do not (6).

The intention of this article is to increase your awareness to the benefits of intermittent fasting. Its become quite popular over the last few years, and truthfully, intermittent fasting is not be for everyone. My general rule of thumb is that if you are not hungry, you do not have to eat. But don’t kill yourself trying to starve – follow whatever regimen works best for you. Sometimes, that means trying something new.

Here are the 7 benefits of intermittent fasting

 

1. Weight Loss

Now, there is some controversy to fasting for losing weight. Many argue that it is very easy to ‘fall off the wagon’ trying to follow such a rigorous diet. But truthfully, it is easy to fall off of any dietary lifestyle without discipline and will power, and it is no different for fasting.

Lets look at the stats.

One study showcased that 75% of individuals who participated in a modified fasting regimen encountered significant weight loss (7).

Losing weight is one thing, but nobody wants to lose muscle. There have been multiple studies that have found intermittent fasting to be extremely effective for retaining lean body mass while losing weight (8, 9).

A 12 week study found that dietary satisfaction and satiation were the 2 major causes of weight loss experienced amongst the participants (10).

Fasting also has extraordinary digestive benefits. On average, it takes anywhere from 6-8 hours to completely digest food, and 40-50 hours for it to pass through the colon. Giving the gut a period of rest allows the body to naturally clean the intestines of excess food that contributes to weight (11).

 

2. Diabetes and Blood Sugar Regulation

“Intermittent fasting is the most powerful natural insulin sensitizer known to man”, as reported by the Mastering Diabetes organization. What does this mean? (12)

Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that enables your body to take sugar from your food and convert it into energy. It is preferred to have sensitive insulin levels so that blood sugar can be easily regulated (13).

Insulin resistance, opposite to insulin sensitivity, is when cells of the human body do not respond to the sugar conversion of energy that insulin is creating. This consequently leads to obesity and diabetes.

In a large study of 5 different sample groups, each group ranging from 10-107 individuals, 40% experienced a significant decrease in insulin resistance after following periods of fasting (14).

In rodents, intermittent fasting has been examined extensively. One study reported that fasting actually increased the insulin sensitivity of the rodents sevenfold! (15)

As a hypoglycaemic, I can confirm that intermittent fasting has almost completely eradicated my symptoms of low blood sugar. I can now abstain from food for long periods of time without getting ‘the shakes’.

I am by no means telling my fellow hypoglycaemics to follow intermittent fasting (in fact my doctor discouraged the idea), but I am telling you that it has done wonders for me, and I plan to carry it out for the rest of my life. I encourage you to do your own research.

 

3. More Energy

This one may seem confusing – how does the abstinence of food give you energy?

Fasting is widely recognized to increase the production of ketone bodies in the liver, which converts fat into energy and sends these signals to the brain. The state of ketosis implies that a fat-burning metabolism is activated (16, 17).

When the body has no more food left to burn, it seeks out the body’s fat storage for energy. The feeling of fatigue and dizziness that some may encounter when they begin fasting is merely the body’s reaction when switching from a carb-burning to a fat-burning metabolism.

Some experts say that it is possible to achieve ketosis by fasting for 12-16 hours. However it is generally accepted that ketosis is achieved through a multitude of factors, some being: low-carb intake, high-fat diet and consistent exercise (18).

I am by no means advocating the Ketogenic diet, nor am I discrediting it. I am just illustrating the benefits of a fast-induced state of ketosis.

On a personal note, I can attest that intermittent fasting has certainly enhanced my energy levels. I am laser-focused in the morning and have no problem working out or writing for a few hours without food in my body. It is like a cheat code to sustainable energy.

4. Cardiovascular Health

Intermittent fasting has been shown to enhance cardiovascular functions and reduce the risk for contracting cardiovascular disease.

One study identified that fasting actually shared several similarities with exercise. They both enhanced cellular and molecular effects on the cardiovascular system and increased the brain derived neurotropic factor (19).

Another study found that intermittent fasting helped improve the recovery and survival of rats following myocardial infarctions (heart attack) by 75% as opposed to rats on a standard diet (20).

In terms of athletic performance, you have no food weighing you down. You will literally be floating on the court, field, rink, etc. Granted, it takes time and practice to play sports on an empty stomach, but training the body to do this will certainly heighten your senses and develop your performance.

 

5. Cognitive Benefits

Fasting is difficult. It takes practice, discipline, and will power to go against a routine you have been living every day of your life.

Fasting will make you uncomfortable. But by persevering through the distress, you are strengthening your mind to withstand challenges. This mental strength will inevitably carry over into other realms of your life.

Studies in animal models who have been put on fasting diets show significant improvements in their ability to delay neurological diseases, including: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s (21).

Studies on mice suggest that intermittent fasting improves brain functions and structures (22).

It has also been concluded that a frequent fasting regimen can even improve mood states among ageing men (23).

 

6. Longevity & Anti-Inflammation

It is widely believed that fasting enhances longevity through suppressing inflammation in the body.

One study showed that mice who had long fasting periods lived significantly longer than those who didn’t. Fasting reprograms the metabolic and stress resistant pathways, which thereby reduces oxidative damage caused by inflammation (24, 25).

The anti-inflammatory effects of a caloric restriction may be linked to the ketones mediating the inhibition of cellular inflammation caused by NLRP3 inflammasome (26).

Worms who were fed little to no bacteria over a period of 40 days led to a major increase in lifespan by as much as 50% (27).

Evidently, it is hard to prove whether these benefits actually carry over to humans. But I feel it is still worth mentioning that other life forms benefit from fasting, as it does provide promising potential for further research.

One study has been made on humans, though, during the Muslim fasting tradition of Ramadan. It was discovered that the proinflammatory cytokine agents of the participants were vastly suppressed at the end of the sacred month. The participants also incurred enhanced blood circulation, decreased body fat, and a decrease in blood pressure (28).

 

7. Anti-Cancer

Although the American Cancer Society recommends a calorie and protein intake during cancer recovery, some evidence suggests that periodic fasting and fast-mimicking diets may be used to prevent and treat cancer (29).

In mice, cycles of starvation were just as effective as chemotherapeutic drugs in delaying the growth and spread of tumors. However, the combination of chemotherapy with fasting yielded the greatest long-term results (30).

A further pilot trial of 34 patients with gynecological cancer were randomized to study the effects of fasting during chemotherapy. The results indicated that short term fasting improved the quality of life and the fatigue of the patients, and no adverse effects were examined (31).

In discussing the anti-cancer benefits of fasting, it is important to mention autophagy.

Autophagy is the condition whereby cellular components are recycled and degraded into new neurodegenerative pathways. Consequently, it has an extensive effect on bodily functions that are affected by cancer (32).

Autophagy literally translates to ‘eating ones self’, and naturally occurs during the process of fasting. The cells must degrade in this way for the body to clean itself (33).

One study examined the link between intermittent fasting, autophagy and cancer. The results reported that fasting may protect normal cells from the toxicity of anti-cancer agents like chemotherapy and radiotherapy (34).

Although there has been no conclusive evidence that suggests fasting decreases the rate of cancer development, it certainly does not enhance it, and it works wonderfully in conjunction with conventional treatments.

Fasting for anti-cancer benefits, also termed “starving the cancer”, is definitely an intriguing topic. There have been many cancer-survivors who have admitted to regular periods of fasting during their recoveries, such as Chris Wark and a 42 year old woman with 3a follicular lymphoma (35, 36).

Several books on the subject have also been written. It is important to consider this research when dealing with cancer, because frankly it is an epidemic that has taken too many of our loved ones. We must consider any and every form of evidence that may provide some answers to the mystery of the cancer cure.

Conclusion

Fasting is a really fascinating discussion. Many swear by its results and some condemn its risk, but ultimately there are some elements that cannot be debated.

A daily regimen of intermittent fasting will help you:

• Lose sustainable weight
• Improve your focus and energy levels over time
• Mediate your blood sugar levels
• Improve your long-term endurance
• Heighten your cognitive abilities
• May contribute to longevity
• May hold a promising anti-cancer future

If there is one thing to take from this article, it is to listen to what your body is telling you. Many of us eat food even when we are not hungry because it is ‘lunch time’ or ‘breakfast’. Sometimes the feeling of satiation is an indicator from the body telling us to chill out. It is so important to give the gut a rest once in a while.

I hope this article will help you have an open-mind towards fasting. I encourage everyone to try it with caution, and see how your body reacts. It has done wonders for me and I am confident many others can benefit from it as well.