Despite its purported health benefits, intermittent fasting frequently has little to no impact.
Many people attempt intermittent fasting as a weight-loss strategy but can also enhance metabolic health. Regimens like the 5:2 diet are complicated, calling for severe calorie restriction twice weekly. However, recent studies indicate that the effects of metabolic improvement may be anticipated without such a challenging approach.
Instead of focusing on the quantity of food consumed, a collaborative research team from the Universities of Surrey and Roehampton in the United Kingdom examined the impact of food type, particularly carbohydrate intake, on metabolism. The study demonstrated that cutting back on carbohydrates without fasting or calorie restriction can boost metabolism.
Twelve healthy adults, both male and female, between the ages of 20 and 65, participated in the study. The participants followed three distinct diets, with two days separating each diet. Based on 2,000 calories, the first diet was a standard balanced diet with 275 grams of carbohydrates daily. The second diet cut carbs to 50 grams or less while maintaining the same number of calories. The third diet limited daily carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or less and calorie intake to 25 percent.
Following the diet, the researchers tracked the participants’ blood sugar, insulin, ketone levels, and energy metabolism markers. They specifically examined whether they consumed more fat or carbohydrates as an energy source.
The outcomes were intriguing. The third diet, which included fasting, and the second, which cut carbs, displayed comparable metabolic alterations. The participants consumed fewer carbohydrates and burned more fat. Their blood ketone levels increased, and NEFA, a substance produced when the body uses fat as an energy source, also increased. According to one interpretation, all of this indicates that the ambassador’s health is improving.
Additionally, triglyceride levels, which are associated with heart disease, significantly decreased. This finding raises the possibility of improving long-term cardiovascular health.
Overall, the conclusion is that a low-carb diet can have a similar effect to intermittent fasting, which induces fat burning and increases energy metabolism efficiency. By lowering carbohydrate intake, this approach can produce a comparable metabolic response without fasting, making it highly accessible and sustainable.
“It is very encouraging that a low-carb diet can induce metabolic effects similar to intermittent fasting without extreme calorie restriction,” said Professor Adam Collins of the University of Surrey.
This strategy might offer a fresh method for treating metabolic conditions like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Participants in the study reported feeling hungrier while following a low-carb diet, but they did not overeat on days when they were eating normally. This implies that the body can adjust to consuming fewer carbohydrates and might become easier to maintain over time.
The research team is currently conducting follow-up studies to see if “intermittent carbohydrate restriction,” which involves reducing carbohydrates only on the fasting days of the 5:2 diet instead of restricting calories, can produce similar effects. If this method is effective, many people are expected to be able to use it as an easier means of improving their metabolic health.
Most Commented