Alternative Fasting Method Claimed to Deliver Same Results as Intermittent Fasting, with Reduced Discomfort According to a Nutrition Specialist
Intermittent fasting, a popular strategy for weight loss, has shown significant benefits for metabolic health, irrespective of weight reduction. However, some people find it challenging, especially when following the 5:2 version, which restricts calorie intake substantially on specific days. A new study suggests that it's possible to gain these metabolic advantages without severely limiting calories.
In the study, restricting carbohydrate intake twice a week instead of aiming for significant calorie reduction can improve metabolic health. The metabolic benefits derive from the way intermittent fasting alters our metabolism.
After a meal, the body is in a postprandial state, favoring the use of carbohydrates for immediate energy while storing excess carbs and fat for later use. However, after several hours without food, in the postabsorptive, or "fasted," state, the metabolism switches to using some fat stores for energy. Intermittent fasting helps maintain a better balance between these energy sources, resulting in improved metabolic flexibility, a key factor linked with better cardiometabolic health.
By demonstrating the effects of a fast on the body, researchers observed that following a day of either total fasting or severe calorie restriction led to improved fat burning the next day. This effect persisted both during the fast and the following day.
In a comparison between intermittent fasting and a calorie-matched or calorie-restricted diet, both groups showed equal weight loss at the same rate. However, the intermittent fasting group exhibited more significant improvements in metabolic handling, similar to those observed in previous trials.
Further research indicates that it's not necessarily the calorie reduction while fasting that triggers these metabolic effects. Instead, decreasing carbohydrate availability seems to be the critical factor.
Researchers conducted a study with 12 overweight and obese participants. On separate days, they were given a very low-carb diet or a severely calorie-restricted diet. After each fasting day, participants were served a high-fat, high-sugar meal to assess their fat-burning capacity.
The results showed that the shift to fat burning and improved fat handling of the meal were nearly identical following both the traditional calorie-restricted "fast" day and the low-carb day. In other words, restricting carbs can elicit the same favorable metabolic effects as fasting.
While more studies involving a larger cohort are needed to confirm these findings, they may help address practical problems associated with intermittent fasting and traditional low-carb diets. For instance, severe calorie restriction can increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies and disordered eating, while strict carb restriction can be challenging to adhere to long-term and may lead to an unhealthy fear of carbs.
This study suggests that it might be possible to achieve the benefits of fasting without as drastic a calorie cut. Instead of restricting calories on fasting days, one could limit carbohydrate consumption. This approach may lead to a more sustainable and less stressful intermittent fasting routine.
Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey, oversaw the research. The article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. The original article can be found at The Conversation.
Relevant Enrichment Data:
- Restricting carbohydrates instead of overall calories in the context of intermittent fasting offers specific metabolic health benefits, mainly through mechanisms distinct from simple calorie reduction.
- Benefits include improved metabolic flexibility and fat utilization, benefits independent of weight loss, easier adherence without severe calorie cuts, reduced insulin secretion and improved insulin sensitivity, enhanced fat loss and preservation of lean mass, and improved lipid profile and reduced cardiovascular risk.
- In comparison, calorie restriction primarily improves metabolic markers due to weight loss, makes adherence challenging due to hunger, and may lead to lean mass loss if not managed properly.
- The new study indicates that by restricting carbohydrate intake twice a week instead of aiming for substantial calorie reduction, one can improve metabolic health.
- Research suggests that the metabolic benefits derived from intermittent fasting may not be solely due to calorie reduction but rather the decreasing of carbohydrate availability.
- A study conducted by Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey, found that restricting carbohydrates instead of calories during intermittent fasting offers specific metabolic health benefits.
- By limiting carbohydrate consumption instead of restricting calories on fasting days, it may be possible to achieve the benefits of fasting without as drastic a calorie cut, leading to a more sustainable intermittent fasting routine.
