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Written by Gina Rolfsmeier

Intermittent Fasting, Friend or Foe?

Today, with the plethora of health information at one's fingertips, deciphering what's

actually good advice can be difficult. One recent topic that has gained a bit of notoriety lately is

the subject of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is not considered to be a diet, but a timed

way of eating. For many years there has been a negative stigma surrounding the subject of

fasting. Extensive research has been done in this area in recent years, but does the new research

substantiate previous negative views or can intermittent fasting actually provide positive health

benefits? I believe this practice could have a host of benefits and is an area worth investigating

as many Americans like myself struggle with everyday health issues.

Fasting is not a new practice, and in fact, is thought to have been mastered by biblical

times. Aristotle, Plato, Galen, Hippocrates, and Socrates are all noted to have believed in the

benefits of fasting. Tradition, religion, food preservation, and weight loss are examples of

reasons one may have fasted. According to the website allaboutfasting.com, “Paracelsus, one of

the three fathers of Western medicine, is quoted as saying, "Fasting is the greatest remedy--the
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physician within." Humans are not the only ones to fast as every other animal that exists today

will fast when sick or stressed.

During the past century a negative stigma toward fasting emerged. We have all been told

we need to eat breakfast for the best health throughout the day. Doctors have also believed that

eating throughout the day will boost your metabolism and eating constant small meals will help

you lose weight. Since we know the brain functions well with glucose, it has been thought that

the brain needs a constant supply of glucose. All these ideas as it turns out, based on recent

research, concludes to be just a myth.

Intermittent fasting, is defined as fasting on cycles or timed intervals. There are many

different forms and variations of this fasting. One example would be a “16/8” method. In this

method you eat between 8 to 10 hours a day only and fast for 14-16 hours. There are also day

variations where one would fast one whole day a week. The image below, created by Dr. David

Jockers DNM, DC, MS, displays a categorization of five intermittent fasting types.
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First, to take a look back at what science says about some of the myths surrounding

intermittent fasting. “Skipping breakfast will cause you to gain weight.” In a 2014 study,

published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a randomized control study was done to

determine the relationship between breakfast and weight loss. It was concluded that skipping

breakfast had no effect on weight loss. A second myth, “fasting will slow your metabolism,”

was also found to be false. A study published in The US National Library of Medicine National

Institutes of health, found that intermittent fasting actually increased metabolic functions to an

optimal level. Another study relates this rise to an increase of ​norepinephrine​ levels in the blood.
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The question still remains, is intermittent fasting damaging to your health, or can this

age-old practice actually provide profound health benefits? Diving into the latest research, I

found not only can intermittent fasting lower body fat, but this practice has been concluded to

slow aging, better cognitive function, lower cholesterol, reduce insulin resistance, decrease

cancer and Alzheimer's risk, increase HGH and hormone regulation, increase cellular repair,

improve heart health, decrease inflammation, and improve chronic diseases.

It is estimated roughly 5.5 million Americans today suffer from Alzheimer's. Dr. Mark

Mattson, chief of the laboratory of neurosciences at the Institute of Aging and a neuroscience

professor and researcher at John Hopkins University, has been studying the effects of

intermittent fasting on animals and humans for decades. According to John Hopkins Health

Review, “in his laboratory experiments, Mattson and his colleagues have found that intermittent

fasting—limiting caloric intake at least two days a week—can help improve neural connections

in the hippocampus while protecting neurons against the accumulation of amyloid plaques, a

protein prevalent in people with Alzheimer’s disease. “Fasting is a challenge to your brain, and

we think that your brain reacts by activating adaptive stress responses that help it cope with

disease,” says Mattson.” It was concluded from this research that fasting produces a

neuroprotective effect.
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Heart disease accounts for 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States every year. An article

titled Beneficial Effects of Intermittent Fasting and Caloric Restriction on the cardiovascular and

cerebrovascular systems in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, discusses the effect of

intermittent fasting and calorie restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system.

From the author's research, conclusions can be made that intermittent fasting improves risk

factors for coronary artery disease and stroke, increase insulin sensitivity, lower blood pressure,

and reduce oxidative damage and inflammation. This article also notes that in monkeys and rats

not only was age-related illnesses decreased, but lifespan was extended when an intermittent and

calorie restricted diet was administered. In a human pilot study, researchers at USC University

of Southern California found that an intermittent diet decreased markers for cardiovascular

disease, aging, cancer, and diabetes with no major adverse implications.

An area also of interest is the effect intermittent fasting has on human growth hormone

(HGH or GH) levels. GH is essential for all tissues and bones of the body. It is responsible for

one's overall well being. Protein synthesis, fat breakdown, and energy are just a few examples of

human growth hormone's role in the body. I initially began researching intermittent fasting

because I was experiencing a lack of energy. After just a couple weeks of fasting I began to feel

like a had a greater amount of energy. In many studies including one published in The Western

Journal of Medicine found that one week of fasting increased HGH levels by 1,250%. This rise
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in human growth hormone may be the reason one can experience increased energy while

practicing an intermittent diet. The graph below shows the increased HGH levels of one day of

fasting vs. one one day of normal eating.

It is estimated that 73.5 million Americans have high LDL (low-density lipoprotein)

cholesterol. LPL is considered the “bad” cholesterol. The relationship between intermittent

fasting and cholesterol is being studied all over the world as a hope for individuals suffering

from this issue. A study titled “Improvement of metabolic parameters in healthy older adult men

following a fasting calorie restriction intervention” was published in The Aging Male in 2013.

This peer reviewed research involved a randomized study with men between the ages of 50 to 70

in Malaysia. There were two groups, the control group and the fasting group. The participants

evaluations were done at three time points: at the beginning, at three weeks, and at twelve weeks.
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It was concluded that the fasting group had lower bad (LDL & Triglyceride) cholesterol, body

weight, fat mass, BMI, and blood pressure. According to Chris Kresser M.S., L.Ac, author of a

New York Times bestseller and named one of the 100 most influential people in health and

fitness, “Not only does LDL decrease by about 25 percent after eight weeks on an alternate daily

fast, but even better, we actually see a decrease in small LDL particles. And remember, small,

dense LDL particles are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease when

compared with an equal number of large, fluffy LDL particles. (Note: small, dense LDL is best

viewed as a proxy for LDL particle number, which, is a more significant risk factor for heart

disease than total or LDL cholesterol.) Thus, intermittent fasting favorably shifts LDL both by

decreasing total LDL and also by decreasing the small, dense LDL particles. We also see

decreases in triglycerides by as much as 32 percent below levels measured prior to implementing

intermittent fasting” Another study compared the vascular health outcome between a diet of

intermittent fasting and high protein with a diet considered to be heart healthy. The results

indicate that the intermittent fasting high protein (IF-HP) diet had the largest and best outcome.

Included in the above comparison study, were markers for blood pressure, BMI,

heart rate, and vascular indexes after an intermittent high protein low calorie diet. The image

below shows the changes evaluated.

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These changes show that intermittent fasting along with a diet high in protein and low in calories

can not only improve one's BMI but can significantly improve vascular health.

In a study published in Cell Metabolism in 2015, using a diet mimicking intermittent

fasting, they researched the effects on yeast, mice, and humans. All of the results showed

reduction in risk factors for cancer, aging, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The image

below is a summary of what concluded.

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In conclusion, the current research seems to negate most previous stigmas and myths

about fasting while also concluding to have a positive effect on one's overall health. This

practice has been followed for thousands of years and hopefully the stigmas will change with the

abundance of new information.

Works Cited

Brandhorst, S, et al. “A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration,

Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan.” ​Cell metabolism.,​ U.S. National

Library of Medicine, 7 July 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26094889. Accessed

14 July 2017.
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Dhurandhar, Emily J, et al. “Emily J Dhurandhar.” ​The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition​,

2014, ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2014/06/04/ajcn.114.089573.abstract. Accessed 14

July 2017.

Gunnars, Kris. “10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting.” ​Authority Nutrition,​

16 Aug. 2016, authoritynutrition.com/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/.

Accessed 14 July 2017.

“Heart Disease Facts.” ​Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,​ Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, 10 Aug. 2015, www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm. Accessed 14 July

2017.

“High Cholesterol Facts.” ​Centers for Disease Control and Prevention​, Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, 17 Mar. 2015, www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/facts.htm. Accessed 14

July 2017.

“History of Fasting.” ​AllAboutFasting,​ www.allaboutfasting.com/history-of-fasting.html.

Accessed 14 July 2017.

Jockers, Dr. “5 Healing Benefits of Intermittent Fasting.” ​Supercharge Your Health​,

drjockers.com/5-healing-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/. Accessed 14 July 2017.

Joe Sugarman. "Are There Any Proven Benefits to Fasting?" Johns Hopkins Health Review.

N.p., 2016. Web. 15 June 2017.

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Kerndt, P R, et al. “Fasting: the history, pathophysiology and complications.” ​The Western

journal of medicine.​, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 1982,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6758355. Accessed 14 July 2017.

Kresser, Chris. “Could You Benefit From Intermittent Fasting?” ​Chris Kresser,​ 15 Dec. 2016,

chriskresser.com/could-you-benefit-from-intermittent-fasting/. Accessed 14 July 2017.

“Latest Alzheimer's Facts and Figures.” ​Latest Facts & Figures Report | Alzheimer's

Association,​ 29 Mar. 2016, www.alz.org/facts/. Accessed 14 July 2017.

Mattson, Mark P. and Ruiqian Wan. "Beneficial Effects of Intermittent Fasting and Caloric

Restriction on the Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Systems." Journal of Nutritional

Biochemistry, vol. 16, no. 3, Mar. 2005, pp. 129-137. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2004.12.007.

Patel, J N, et al. “Norepinephrine spillover from human adipose tissue before and after a 72-Hour

fast.” ​The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism.,​ U.S. National Library of

Medicine, July 2002, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12107252. Accessed 14 July 2017.

Patterson, R E, et al. “Intermittent Fasting and Human Metabolic Health.” ​Journal of the

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.,​ U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2015,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25857868. Accessed 14 July 2017.

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Perkins, Robert. “Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging.” ​USC News,​ 18 June 2015,

news.usc.edu/82959/diet-that-mimics-fasting-appears-to-slow-aging/. Accessed 14 July

2017.

Teng, N I, et al. “Improvement of metabolic parameters in healthy older adult men following a

fasting calorie restriction intervention.” ​The aging male : the official journal of the

International Society for the Study of the Aging Male.,​ U.S. National Library of

Medicine, Dec. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24044618. Accessed 14 July 2017.

Zuo, L., He, F., Tinsley, G. M., Pannell, B. K., Ward, E., & Arciero, P. J. (2016, August 29).

Comparison of High-Protein, Intermittent Fasting Low-Calorie Diet and Heart Healthy

Diet for Vascular Health of the Obese. Retrieved July 14, 2017, from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27621707
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