In addition to starting a new exercise regimen, the New Year is traditionally a time for many to rethink their diet. , is purported to have several health benefits, including lowering energy levels. But what exactly is intermittent fasting? And will all the hype around it hold up to scientific scrutiny?
The term intermittent fasting encompasses several approaches, each based on different principles. Whichever method is used, it is important to note that the restriction only affects food intake, not water intake.
Summary of various intermittent fasting methods. Anouk Charlotte
Judgment of science?
Your results will depend on the strategy you employ.
Relatively few scientific studies have been conducted on the “Eat Stop Eat” and 5:2 approaches. The limited data available to us indicate that they can help effectively lose weight and improve certain metabolic parameters such as fasting blood sugar. After using method 2 for 3 months, participants showed a weight loss of 3-6 kilograms.
However, both methods are very restrictive and can cause side effects on days of fasting and severe calorie restriction. Hunger, negative mood effects, risk of hypoglycemia, and more.
In the long term, restriction also increases the risk of developing or exacerbating eating disorders and yo-yo dieting. These patterns often emerge after individuals attempt to restrict themselves to lose weight. Despite initial progress, deficiency can create frustration that drives a return to old eating habits.
The most studied method is one in which food is consumed daily, but for a limited time.
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It is known as “early timed feeding”, in which dietary intake begins at breakfast and ends in the late afternoon.
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“Late time limit school lunch” in which the intake of meals starts at lunch.
This approach appears to improve metabolic regulation and reduce the risk of metabolic disease. However, these benefits will vary depending on the time slot you choose. Studies have observed weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity when food intake is initiated in the morning.
Conversely, there is little or no benefit to starting eating at noon and finishing in the evening. Ram Babu Singh’s team (Halberg Hospital and Research Institute, India) also showed positive results for participants who ate only in the morning.
Why is there such a difference?
Research suggests that your body clock and circadian rhythms may be involved. Indeed, the advantage of eating only in the morning is that the period of food intake and fasting coincides with the body clock.
In a previous article, we explained that our bodies periodically produce hormones in response to light cycles to adapt food intake to the body’s energy needs. Therefore, the best time to eat is around 8:00 or 9:00 am (when the sun rises). sunrise) to 7pm (when the sun begins to set depending on the season).
Skipping breakfast and eating it after 7pm disrupts your circadian rhythm and increases your risk of developing metabolic disorders.
However, while time-restricted eating seems like a good approach to metabolic health, much is still not understood about how it works and how to optimize its effects. No. A 2022 study found no difference in weight loss between early morning and late night meal choices. However, it did affect appetite during the day – this time in favor of the former.
And beyond the time of day when eating seems preferable, there may be other factors at work that are not necessarily measured in the studies conducted: the quality and quantity of food absorbed, the duration of the fast (12 It is also worth remembering that each individual has their own metabolism and may respond differently to fasting. New, more controlled and more comprehensive studies are needed to confirm and understand the mechanisms responsible for its effects.
What should I actually do?
Time-limited food intake appears to be the most appropriate way to avoid circadian clock disruptions (and thereby limit the risk of frustration and eating disorders) by synchronizing meals with circadian rhythms. It seems.
A typical day, therefore, consists of a hearty breakfast between 6-8am, lunch around noon, and finally an early dinner between 4-6pm, depending on the season. can be organized as
It’s not always easy to fit in with one’s social life. Practicing intermittent fasting in your family can be complicated if you have sports activities in the evening or work from the evening until 7 or 8 pm.
One solution is to eat a large breakfast and choose a meal that isn’t too high in calories at night so you don’t risk throwing your body clock off.
Typical days and foods preferred for timed eating practices. Anouk Charlotte
time nutrition
Chronic nutrition is becoming increasingly popular, and intermittent fasting appears to effectively boost metabolic health. Also, you need to make sure that the periods of fasting and food intake are consistent with your body clock.
Faced with many existing methods and potential risks, patients and health professionals still face a lack of information. Further research is essential to better understand their effects. At present, there is still no general consensus on the ideal times to eat/fast or the optimal duration of each period. , may vary from person to person. Therefore, it is important to consider using this dietary strategy with a qualified health care professional in terms of setting up a healthy, balanced diet that limits the risk of complications.
Anouk Charlot, Doctante, University of Strasbourg and Joffrey Zoll, MCU-PH en physology, faculté de medecine, University of Strasbourg
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
