We are witnessing a new dietary fad: intermittent fasting. Surely you have a friend, a family member, a work or gym colleague (or several), who are fasting and seem to have found the panacea, the Holy Grail of weight loss diets.
But that's how it is? Is it really as good as they sell it? Today I want to talk to you about the
truths and lies of fasting
.
Intermittent fasting is also fashionable among celebrities and public figures. You may have heard that Luis Miguel is credited with having lost weight thanks to this regime, and even the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak practices it. The premier looks very athletic, we must admit. Of course, he also does physical activity on a regular basis, but in his case, fasting is part of adhering to the rules of Hinduism, the religion he practices, and his faith is not questioned.
The origins of intermittent fasting
Fasting began to be investigated among elite athletes, from European soccer and North American basketball, two markets that move large sums of money.
Among these athletes there is a fairly considerable number of practicing Muslims. During the holy month of Ramadan, they perform a religious fast that involves
abstaining from food from sunrise to sunset
. But let's clarify that this happens only during the month of Ramadan.
At the beginning of the 21st century, there began to be an interest in investigating the effects of fasting on the sports performance of these elite players. Thus, many research papers on fasting and sports performance began to be published in very prestigious scientific journals highly valued among colleagues, nutritionists and sports experts.
Specifically, what was observed is that when fasting, there was weight loss. But I wonder: who would doubt that if someone ate every other day or only did so for 6 hours a day, they would not lose weight?
The point is that these findings led to the expansion of fasting as a fad diet to other areas that
have nothing to do with sport or religion
.
What is fasting for?
When they ask me what fasting is for, I always answer the same thing:
fasting only helps a few people to lose weight
, obsessive people with an excellent relationship with both food and their body.
But the important thing about fasting is that it is useful to
banish the misconception that without snacks, it is not possible to lose weight
. This has been typical advice from many professionals, but it is just a myth without scientific support.
Unfortunately, as a result of the fasting fad, there are people who
endure 8, 12, 16 hours or even entire days without eating
.
The problem is that few published studies include the adverse effects of fasting:
fatigue, bad mood, insomnia, headache
, hypoglycemia, decreased muscle mass and eating disorders.
To make matters worse, recently, in a study that included more than 20,000 adults, it was observed that an 8-hour intermittent fast is associated with a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular causes.
You may also have heard or read that fasting decreases inflammation and helps prevent cancer. However, the studies carried out to date do not have
the methodological rigor
to demonstrate these effects, nor the long-term follow-up necessary to demonstrate these benefits. These are investigations carried out on animals, the results of which were extrapolated to humans.
Therefore, as we differentiate myths from science in this column,
much more quality research
is required to turn this fad diet into an evidence-based prescription.
So, I ask myself and I ask you: if it is about health, what should we base our decisions on? As I told you before, religious norms are not questioned. But for decisions that have an impact on health, it is most advisable to make them taking into account the best scientific evidence available to date.
As a doctor specializing in nutrition, I must say that
fasting is not good for most people
and, above all, it is not good for those who have a complex relationship with food, whether because they suffer from emotional hunger or have or have had an eating disorder. .
It is also not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 12 years of age, people with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5, shift workers, people over 65 years of age, people with diseases that reduce their immune system. or in those who have to take medications with food at regulated times.
Fasting
is only good for those who can tolerate it
without adverse effects, and they are usually very few.
In any case, always remember that it is best to consult with your doctor or nutritionist. They will know how to advise you on the best balanced and enjoyable eating plan that allows you to achieve a healthy and comfortable body.
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