Intermittent fasting: debunking the myths about the “easy way to lose weight”

Intermittent fasting, or intermittent fasting, is the alternation of cycles where you can eat as usual and abstain from eating altogether. The most popular diet options are 16/8 and 20/4: you eat 8 or 4 hours a day and fast the rest of the time. For example, with the first diet option, you can have breakfast at 9 a.m. and dinner at work at 5 p.m. Or, if you don’t like to eat in the morning, try “opening” your “eating window” at noon and “closing” it at 8:00 p.m.

Intermittent fasting is believed to help with weight loss and prevent the development of disease. Is it true ?

Is it possible to lose weight eating like this? Many followers of intermittent fasting believe that you can eat anything and any quantity in the “food” window: sweets, cakes, breaded wings, pizza, wash down these “delicacies” with your favorite soda and at the same time lose weight. weight.

However, from a scientific point of view, weight loss is only possible with an energy deficit, which is achieved by limiting daily caloric intake. In any case, the diet should consist of healthy foods and contain vegetables, herbs, fruits, healthy fats and grains.

With intermittent fasting after a long restriction, there is a temptation to choose higher calorie and unhealthy foods, which, of course, does not contribute to weight loss. This, on the contrary, can lead to an increase in the level of “bad” cholesterol.

Intermittent fasting promotes cell renewal. It triggers autophagy. Autophagy is the process by which a cell recycles its own components. Thus, our body gets rid of old cells and their particles.

In addition, fasting leads to the activation of growth hormone production. But if you want to increase your muscle mass, intermittent fasting is not for you. To build muscle, you need to consume protein throughout the day, without taking long breaks. Growth hormone will not be able to contribute to this, because your body will try not to lose the muscles you have and not build new ones. Insulin is also needed to increase muscle mass, but growth hormone and insulin are opposite in action.

Intermittent fasting is thought to help fight cancer. What is this theory based on? First, cancer cells are also capable of autophagy. Also in the treatment of oncological diseases, an increase in insulin sensitivity is important: neoplasms spread in proportion to the level of insulin-like growth factor. But do not forget that insulin levels drop during the 18-24 hours without food, then its values ​​​​start to increase.

According to some studies, reducing calorie intake from food reduces the risk of developing certain diseases. If fasting is not followed by binge eating, fasting can help lower bad cholesterol, blood triglycerides, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Additionally, dietary restriction may have beneficial effects on type 2 diabetes risk factors by lowering basal insulin and glucose levels.

Digestion requires periodic rest, so limiting food intake has a positive effect on it. In addition, intermittent fasting (like any other) helps normalize the intestinal microflora, maintains the health of its microbiome. The microbiome is the set of “good” microorganisms present in the intestine.

But for people with biliary dyskinesia and problems with the outflow of bile, fasting is strictly contraindicated in order to avoid exacerbation of diseases.

Comment by Evdokimova Elena Viktorovna, endocrinologist, nutritionist, nutritionist at JSC “Medicina” (clinic of Academician Roitberg), member of the Russian Association of Endocrinologists

Intermittent fasting can be both beneficial and harmful. The main rule is a conscious and reasonable approach. If you want to lose weight, you can try this method to control your eating habits. However, keep in mind that it’s reducing calorie intake that’s important here, not strictly adhering to the “food window.” If your goal is to build muscle, that’s not your option, you need to eat regularly and get enough protein. Do not try to cure diseases with the help of fasting – consultation with a specialist is simply necessary. In a nutshell, before making the decision to “declare a hunger strike”, seek professional advice.