It’s not what you eat, but when: Intermittent fasting boosts heart health of high-risk patients
Intermittent fasting is associated with significant benefits for patients with obesity or other cardiovascular risk factors, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]
The study tracked data from more than 100 patients with metabolic syndrome, a group often excluded in clinical trials. Participants were educated on how to eat better, with counselors focusing on the Mediterranean diet, and then separated into two groups: a group that practiced three months of time-restricted eating and a group that continued to eat at the same exact schedule as before. Participants in the time-restricted group were told to reduce their eating window to eight to 10 hours per day and keep it consistent throughout the course of the study. They were allowed to choose when that eating window began, however, to ensure it was convenient for their specific schedule. The general recommendation was to start roughly an hour after you first wake up.
Overall, time-restricted eating was linked to consistent improvements in their blood sugar, cholesterol and hemoglobin A1c levels. Body weight and body mass index also decreased more dramatically for the time-restricted group.
“Our bodies actually process sugars and fats very differently depending on the time of day,” co-corresponding author Satchidananda Panda, PhD, a professor with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California, said in a statement. “In time-restricted eating, we are re-engaging the body’s natural wisdom and harnessing its daily rhythms to restore metabolism and improve health.”
“Unlike expensive pharmaceuticals like Ozempic, which require lifetime use, time-restricted eating is a simple lifestyle change that doesn’t cause side effects and can be maintained indefinitely,” added Emily Manoogian, a staff scientist at Salk. “Patients appreciate that they don’t have to change what they eat, just when they eat.”
The group concluded that these findings suggest time-restricted eating should be recommended to patients who present with symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.