King Grub
2017-08-24, 08:19
Objective
The goal was to evaluate whether intermittent fasting is an effective preventive measure, and whether it is feasible for healthy volunteers under everyday-conditions.
Methods
A non-randomized controlled clinical trial on intermittent fasting was performed with healthy volunteers over a period of eight weeks, and a subsequent four month follow-up. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, after eight weeks, and after six months. Volunteers who were not interested in fasting served as a control group. Participants in the fasting group were asked to continue their regular nutritional habits on the non-fasting days, while the control group maintained their habitual nutrition throughout the whole period. Outcomes included changes of metabolic parameters (insulin, glucose, insulin-resistance, IGF-1, BDNF, lipids, liver enzymes, HbA1c) and coagulation-markers; bioelectrical impedance analysis; body mass index; abdominal girth; blood pressure; general quality of life (WHO-5 questionnaire), as well as mood and anxiety (HADS, POMS, Flourishing-Scale, VAS, Likert-scales). The intervention consisted of a fasting day which was repeated every week for eight weeks, with abstinence from solid food between 00:00 and 23:59 at minimum and a maximum caloric intake of 300 kcal on each fasting day. A per protocol analysis was performed, p-values <0.05 were considered as significant.
Results
Thirty six volunteers were included; twenty two allocated themselves to the fasting group, and fourteen to the control group. A total of n=33 data sets were included in the final analysis. While significant in-group changes were observed in both groups for a number of outcomes after eight weeks and six months, no significant between-group differences were observed for any outcome other than for overall body fat mass after eight weeks as well as for the HADS total score and the WHO-5 total score after six months, all in favor of the fasting group. However, none of the between-group differences were clinically relevant.
Conclusions
In summary, we did not find any clinically relevant differences between groups in this controlled clinical pilot trial of eight weeks of intermittent fasting in healthy volunteers. Further clinical research in this field is warranted in order to further analyze mechanisms and effects of intermittent fasting.
A Non-Randomized Controlled Clinical Pilot Trial on 8 Weeks of Intermittent Fasting (24h per week). Nutrition, 12 August 2017.
The goal was to evaluate whether intermittent fasting is an effective preventive measure, and whether it is feasible for healthy volunteers under everyday-conditions.
Methods
A non-randomized controlled clinical trial on intermittent fasting was performed with healthy volunteers over a period of eight weeks, and a subsequent four month follow-up. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, after eight weeks, and after six months. Volunteers who were not interested in fasting served as a control group. Participants in the fasting group were asked to continue their regular nutritional habits on the non-fasting days, while the control group maintained their habitual nutrition throughout the whole period. Outcomes included changes of metabolic parameters (insulin, glucose, insulin-resistance, IGF-1, BDNF, lipids, liver enzymes, HbA1c) and coagulation-markers; bioelectrical impedance analysis; body mass index; abdominal girth; blood pressure; general quality of life (WHO-5 questionnaire), as well as mood and anxiety (HADS, POMS, Flourishing-Scale, VAS, Likert-scales). The intervention consisted of a fasting day which was repeated every week for eight weeks, with abstinence from solid food between 00:00 and 23:59 at minimum and a maximum caloric intake of 300 kcal on each fasting day. A per protocol analysis was performed, p-values <0.05 were considered as significant.
Results
Thirty six volunteers were included; twenty two allocated themselves to the fasting group, and fourteen to the control group. A total of n=33 data sets were included in the final analysis. While significant in-group changes were observed in both groups for a number of outcomes after eight weeks and six months, no significant between-group differences were observed for any outcome other than for overall body fat mass after eight weeks as well as for the HADS total score and the WHO-5 total score after six months, all in favor of the fasting group. However, none of the between-group differences were clinically relevant.
Conclusions
In summary, we did not find any clinically relevant differences between groups in this controlled clinical pilot trial of eight weeks of intermittent fasting in healthy volunteers. Further clinical research in this field is warranted in order to further analyze mechanisms and effects of intermittent fasting.
A Non-Randomized Controlled Clinical Pilot Trial on 8 Weeks of Intermittent Fasting (24h per week). Nutrition, 12 August 2017.