Intermittent fasting is a popular diet plan for weight-loss , simple and healthier life.
It has been popularized by celebrities and CEOs.
Here we will look at the various statistics of intermittent fasting that the modern research has to offer.
Table Of Contents
- 1 Intermittent Fasting cause weight loss
- 2 Intermittent Fasting: Weight-loss Statistics
- 3 Reduction Of Belly Fat
- 4 Reduce your fat but preserve muscle mass
- 5 Intermittent Fasting doesn’t increase your hunger
- 6 Intermittent Fasting improves Insulin Sensitivity
- 7 Intermittent Fasting Improve Your Heart Health
Intermittent Fasting cause weight loss
Intermitting fasting like other restrictive diet will lead to consumption of less calories that will ultimately lead to weight loss .
Research have shown that intermittent fasting reduce calorie intake that leads to weight loss.
If you don’t take breakfast everyday , then you are preventing yourself from about 600 calorie everyday. This reduction in calorie will lead to weight loss.
Intermittent Fasting: Weight-loss Statistics
According to a 2014 meta-analysis , Intermittent fasting causes 3%–8% reductions in body weight after 3–24 weeks .
Note : ADF (alternate day fasting ) refers to the 5:2 approach. In research purpose, alternate day fasting is kept separate from intermittent fasting.
Alternate day fasting and Intermittent Fasting cause similar total weight loss in long term but alternate day fasting is found to be quicker than intermittent fasting.
On average, ADF appears to produce a 0.75 kg weekly reduction in body weight, whereas IF produces a 0.25 kg weekly weight loss. So, if you are looking for quicker weight loss then you should try alternate day fasting.
A 2015 Research published on Elsevier has shown that : The minimum weight loss after intermittent fasting was 2.1 kg after 3 weeks and the maximum weight loss was 16.6 kg after 20 weeks .
Most people lose 3-5 kg weight approximately after 10 weeks of intermittent fasting.
Reduction Of Belly Fat
Belly fat is called as visceral fat in scientific term. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting and alternate day fasting reduce your belly fat.
The 2014 research showed that there is 4%–7% reductions in belly fat after 6–24 weeks of fasting.
Loss in your visceral fat depends on your total fat loss. So, if you loose more weight then you will lose more visceral belly fat.
The study suggests that intermittent Fasting and Alternate Day Fasting cause similar decrease in visceral fat mass.
Reduce your fat but preserve muscle mass
If ,you are looking to have fat percentage near to Ronaldo’s 7% percentage, then intermittent fasting will be best for you.
A 2015 systematic review of clinical trials has shown that unlike other form of dieting, intermittent dieting causes a decrease in fat free mass.
This means that intermittent fasting will reduce your fat but preserve your muscles. So, you can lose weight without reducing your muscle mass in intermittent fasting.
Intermittent Fasting doesn’t increase your hunger
Unexpected conclusion was drawn from 2015 systematic review of clinical trials . It concluded that unlike other form of dieting, hunger is reduced in intermittent fasting.
Contrary to expectations of increased hunger, intermittent fasting led to better hunger control and reduction in appetite.
Level of hunger reducing hormone (Leptin) was low but this couldn’t cause increase in hunger.
Intermittent Fasting improves Insulin Sensitivity
In simple term, insulin sensitivity means the obedience of body to insulin. The more obedient body will lead to better health.
If your body becomes too arrogant and show very low insulin sensitivity , then you may suffer from Type-2 Diabetes.
Studies have shown that Intermittent Fasting helps in better sugar control, reduces insulin level, increase level of adiponectin and increase insulin sensitivity.
Some people were able to give up insulin therapy after following intermittent fasting.
So, these study suggest physicians to incorporate intermittent fasting to diabetic patients treatment.
But if you are taking diabetes medication, consult your doctor before starting the plan. He/She will need to change your dosage and titration.
Intermittent Fasting Improve Your Heart Health
Intermittent fasting improves various aspects of heart health.
Studies have shown that intermittent fasting reduces the level of cholesterol in your body. It increases the amount of good cholesterol HDL and reduces the amount of bad cholesterol LDL which will help to prevent you from heart attack.
Intermittent fasting reduces your blood pressure . Reduced blood pressure will lead to reduced workload on Heart and reduce chances of heart failure.
Intermittent fasting provides cardiac protection even after heart attack . Research have shown that you are 35% safer from heart attack when you are doing intermittent fasting.
Sachet Subedi is 3rd year medical student from Institute Of Medicine, Maharajgunj . He writes on health, diet, wellness and science. He likes cricket and loves to study books and research paper on productivity, diet , health and wellness.
