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Top 5 Intermittent Fasting Benefits
- Richard J Yun
- Jan 6, 2020
- 2 min read
New Year New Me?
That's only true if you actually change yourself. If you ever thought of intermittent fasting but never actually went through with it, stop procrastinating and just start! 2020 is the year to change yourself for the better.
Intermittent fasting refers to an eating cycle that includes periods of fasting of around 12–36 hours. Many proponents of intermittent fasting report improved weight management.
If you aren't sold yet, hopefully, this list of 5 benefits will do the trick...
1. Weight Loss
The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which cells use for energy or convert into fat and store for later use. Insulin is a hormone that allows cells to take in glucose.
Insulin levels drop when a person is not consuming food. During a period of fasting, it is possible that decreasing insulin levels causes cells to release their glucose stores as energy.
Repeating this process regularly, as with intermittent fasting, may lead to weight loss.
Intermittent fasting can also lead to the consumption of fewer calories overall, which may also contribute to weight loss.
2. Improved heart health
Heart disease is currently the world's biggest killer.
Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve numerous different risk factors, including blood pressure, total and LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, inflammatory markers, and blood sugar levels.
3. Improved brain health
Studies in mice have shown that intermittent fasting could improve brain health.One study found that mice that were on a brief intermittent fasting diet had better learning and memory than mice with free access to food.
Further research in animals suggests that intermittent fasting can suppress inflammation in the brain, which has links to neurological conditions.
More research is necessary to investigate whether these findings apply to humans.
4. May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is the world's most common neurodegenerative disease.
There is no cure available for Alzheimer's, so preventing it from showing up in the first place is critical. A study in rats shows that intermittent fasting may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease or reduce its severity.
5. May Extend Your Lifespan, Helping You Live Longer
One of the most exciting applications of intermittent fasting may be its ability to extend lifespan.
Studies in rats have shown that intermittent fasting extends lifespan in a similar way as continuous calorie restriction. In some of these studies, the effects were quite dramatic. In one of them, rats that fasted every other day lived 83% longer than rats who didn't fast.
Although this is far from being proven in humans, intermittent fasting has become very popular among the anti-aging crowd. Given the known benefits for metabolism and all sorts of health markers, it makes sense that intermittent fasting could help you live a longer and healthier life.
Conclusion
Intermittent fasting is as effective as traditional calorie restriction methods when it comes to reducing weight and body fat. It may also be easier to stick to than traditional methods of weight loss. So if you haven't tried intermittent fasting, don't wait any longer and start your journey today!
Sources:
I'm a UofT student and this is a student exploration project sponsored by KiImpact.com
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