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Intermittent Fasting: Is the Wait Worth the Weight?

  • Obesity Treatment (CM Apovian, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obesity Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

We review the underlying mechanisms and potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) from animal models and recent clinical trials.

Recent Findings

Numerous variations of IF exist, and study protocols vary greatly in their interpretations of this weight loss trend. Most human IF studies result in minimal weight loss and marginal improvements in metabolic biomarkers, though outcomes vary. Some animal models have found that IF reduces oxidative stress, improves cognition, and delays aging. Additionally, IF has anti-inflammatory effects, promotes autophagy, and benefits the gut microbiome. The benefit-to-harm ratio varies by model, IF protocol, age at initiation, and duration.

Summary

We provide an integrated perspective on potential benefits of IF as well as key areas for future investigation. In clinical trials, caloric restriction and IF result in similar degrees of weight loss and improvement in insulin sensitivity. Although these data suggest that IF may be a promising weight loss method, IF trials have been of moderate sample size and limited duration. More rigorous research is needed.

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Abbreviations

IF:

Intermittent fasting

CR:

Calorie restriction

ICR:

Intermittent calorie restriction

ER:

Energy restriction

TRF:

Time-restricted feeding

PF:

Prolonged fasting

ADER:

Alternate-day energy restriction

CER:

Continuous energy restriction

RCT:

Randomized controlled trial

GIR:

Glucose infusion rate

Si:

Insulin sensitivity

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

ad lib:

Ad libitum

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Funding Sources

This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health [UL1TR001430, P30DK046200, T32DK007201].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Boston Medical Center, 720 Harrison Avenue, 8th Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Mary-Catherine Stockman, Dylan Thomas & Caroline M. Apovian

  2. College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University Sargent College, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Jacquelyn Burke

Authors
  1. Mary-Catherine Stockman
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  2. Dylan Thomas
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  3. Jacquelyn Burke
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  4. Caroline M. Apovian
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Correspondence to Mary-Catherine Stockman.

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Conflict of Interest

Mary-Catherine Stockman declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Dylan Thomas declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Jacquelyn Burke declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Caroline M. Apovian has received research funding through grants from Sanofi-Aventis, Orexigen, Aspire Bariatrics, GI Dynamics, MYOS, Takeda, Gelesis, Vela Foundation, Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation, Coherence Lab, Energesis, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Eli Lilly, and MetaPrteomics LLC; has received compensation from Nutrisystem, Zafgen, Sanofi-Aventis, Orexigen, Novo Nordisk, GI Dynamics, Takeda, Scientific Intake, Gelesis, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Amylin, EnteroMedics, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, and Xeno Biosciences for service on advisory boards; and owns stock in Science-Smart LLC.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Obesity Treatment

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Stockman, MC., Thomas, D., Burke, J. et al. Intermittent Fasting: Is the Wait Worth the Weight?. Curr Obes Rep 7, 172–185 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-018-0308-9

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