Intermittent Fasting Benefits:
Intermittent Fasting Fat Loss & Brain Health

Discover intermittent fasting fat loss and health benefits

Does intermittent fasting work? Many intermittent fasting benefits have been discovered. Although much of the intermittent fasting research comes from the lab with mice, this is changing. 

The evidence from intermittent fasting studies is striking!

This study got me interested in discovering intermittent fasting benefits for myself:  When I saw the results of limiting the feeding time of mice, I also decided to try it.

  • Even though two groups of mice were given THE SAME AMOUNT OF FOOD, those with longer fasting times, weighed less, were MUCH healthier and lived longer.  The results were striking even though the time-limited mice ate the same amount of calories as the ones allowed to eat around the clock.  The researchers were shocked. 1

So it's not a question of "does intermittent fasting work?" Rather, scientists are still unraveling exactly "how does intermittent fasting work so well!"

So far, there is solid evidence that:  1) eliminating night time eating and 2) extending nightly fasting periods gives ongoing health benefits, including:

  • belly fat loss (visceral fat)
  • improving muscle mass 

Most reported intermittent fasting benefits for health are for:

  • obesity (belly fat loss), blood pressure, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, muscle mass and heart disease 
  • preventing "the diseases of aging", cancer, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimers and dementia 2 

So far, for me personally, intermittent fasting benefits are a fact. I have regained my 25-year old weight, and have not re-gained an ounce since, in almost a year.  In the past I have occasionally lost 5 pounds by going on a diet, but this would never "stick" for long. 

  • And, since cancer, heart disease and dementia are all in my family, I can now look forward to a healthy old age!

Intermittent Fasting Fat Loss

How intermittent fasting fat loss happens:

After 12 hours of not eating, your body enters what’s called a “fasted fat-burning state.”  In this state our bodies can burn the fat that is not possible when eating.

Generally we only enter this fat-burning state until 12 hours after our last meal.

  • In this "fasted state" our bodies are more likely use energy from stored fat. Exercise is more likely to cause fat burning during this time as well.

Intermittent fasting how to?

Fasting 12 to 16 hours 3 times a week is considered ideal by many.

That's why intermittent fasting fat loss can happen even without changing what you eat, how much you eat, or even how often you exercise.  Why?

  • This "fasted state" increases insulin sensitivity and growth hormone secretion. Both of these are essential for weight loss and muscle gain.

Once you get used to your new "fasted state" routine, intermittent fasting results in lowering the hunger hormone ghrelin. This in turn makes you want to eat less in the evening AND in the morning. 

  • Once you have "retrained your brain" not to eat at night and to skip or have a late breakfast at least 3 times per week, it will become much EASIER! (not eating at night, was at the beginning, the hardest for me!)

Once your body does NOT expect food all day every day (or first thing in the morning), you are well on your way to significant intermittent fasting fat loss!

Once you experience more energy and less hunger, you may never look back. This has certainly been the case for me!

Intermittent Fasting Benefits: Rev Your Metabolism 

What is the best intermittent fasting?

Researchers report that almost any intermittent fasting schedule or plan can cause some weight loss.  Thus most people, but not all, experience significant intermittent fasting fat loss.

Here's the good news! Besides fat burning -- the hard to get rid of visceral or belly fat -- research is showing these intermittent fasting benefits:

  • maintaining the youth of our cells
  • lower blood pressure
  • increased energy -- metabolic benefits for obesity and related fatty liver
  • decreased risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer

Anti-aging intermittent fasting benefits:

  • improved β cell function (better defensive immunity)
  • lower oxidative stress (less damage to cells and organs)
  • heart regeneration (heart muscle is stronger) 3

Here's how intermittent fasting results in "youthing:"

Japanese researchers have identified 44 important metabolites that increased during fasting, some of which increased 60-fold. 

  • "These are very important metabolites for maintenance of muscle and antioxidant activity [...]. This result suggests the possibility of a rejuvenating effect by fasting, which was not known until now." 4  Dr. Takayuki Teruya 

Many beneficial processes are activated by temporarily denying our body nutrients through intermittent fasting (IF), which is considered to be SAFE. 


Intermittent fasting benefits us by boosting the integrity of our cells:

  • "Increasing daily fasting times, without a reduction of calories and regardless of the type of diet consumed, resulted in overall improvements in health and survival in male mice. 
  • This extended daily fasting period enables repair and maintenance mechanisms that are absent in a continuous exposure to food." 5 Researcher, R. de Cabo


Intermittent Fasting Benefits: Anti Aging & Brain Power

It is possible to bolster up your brain with fasting, say scientist.

Fasting does good things for the brain!

Fasting for well being is ancient: “I fast for greater physical and mental efficiency.” – Plato (428-348 B.C.)

You too, can level-up your brain for mental health and clarity! Intermittent fasting benefits include counteracting conditions like:

  • Parkinson’s
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Dementia.

How does this work? Scientists point to ketones (beta-HBA) for causing  the many of the positive effects of fasting.  Ketones can be used as an energy source by the brain when blood glucose is low. Ketosis fasting is a more specific version where people measure fasting ketosis. 6

Fasting and reduced calories improve the brain by:

  • improving antioxidant defenses
  • increasing energy production in the brain (mitochondria) with increases in mitochondria which produce energy
  • increasing cellular survival, and increased levels of BDNF leading to enhanced growth of new brain cells (neurogenesis) 7

  • improves dopamine production for Parkinsons and amyloid plaques for Alzheimer’s

Why fasting bolsters your brain:  This TEDx talk by Mark Mattson explains. A Professor at Johns Hopkins University, he is Chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging.

 

Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Parkinson's Alzheimer's and Dementia?

Anyone with a neurological disease like Parkinson's has likely heard of costly stem cell therapy. 

The good news is that the health benefits of intermittent fasting can include ACTIVATING stem cell production!  Even better, this is FREE. 

  • Dr. Valter Longo PhD Director of the Longevity Institute at University of Southern California, says that a "fasting mimicking diet" can TRIPLE your STEM CELL PRODUCTION. 
  • Not bad for a free "treatment."

Anyone with or at risk for Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Alzheimer's or Huntington's can find out how this can be done: 

  1. SEE: Valter Longo PhD interviewed about the Fasting Mimicking Diet for Longevity, Cancer & Multiple Sclerosis 

Intermittent fasting results in cell rejuvenation.  The research typically suggests prevention. 

For instance, a PhD biologist, Ron Mignery began to study how best to stimulate cell regeneration when faced with a neuro degenerative disease in a close friend's family.

Mignery's research confirmed that fasting -- in this case, "protein cycling" --  is the best bet against the "systems breakdown" called aging and "the diseases of aging." 

His book, Protein Cycling against the diseases of aging is worth reading by anyone wanting an in depth understanding of how fasting can work to prevent disease as you age. 

Fasting does not need to be "all or nothing" according to Mignery. 

  • Restricting proteins 3 days a week (from 5 gm to a maximum of 15 gm per day) can significantly activate autophagy, or cell renewal.  This may be especially important against diseases involving "misfolded proteins" such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

There is credible science for the effectiveness of fasting by "protein cycling."  This means restricting proteins on 3 days per week.  Scientists point out that this "cycling" is neuroprotective against neuro degeneration. 8



Fasting Cancer: Intermittent Fasting Results?

Fasting and cancer can be tricky. On the whole, it is beneficial, as scientists show that intermittent fasting results in:

  • Cellular repair, also known as autophagy -- the process in which cells begin to remove wastes and repair themselves.

This "cleanup" process reduces the undesirable effects of aging, and helps to prevent disease.  Is autophagy the fountain of youth?  

When you fast, your body can do its job in repairing itself and healing -- not possible when you are eating and your body is using insulin. Only when insulin is low or stops can the "clean up crew" known as autophagy get going. This is an age-old "secret."

  • There’s a lot of research that fasting can improve the cellular repair process with cancer and other illnesses.

Certainly to prevent cancer, some form of fasting would be recommended.

If your cancer treatment prognosis is not good, you may want to explore intermittent fasting benefits. 

Dr. V. Longo at the Longevity Institute has created a safe diet for cancer patients that "mimicks" fasting but still allows eating.

The fasting-mimicking diet can help rejuvenate the immune system against the cancer.

  • Fasting cancer can be safe with the fasting-mimicking diet

 


Intermittent Fasting Studies

Intermittent fasting benefits SOURCES:

1.  Daily Fasting Improves Health and Survival in Male Mice Independent of Diet Composition and CaloriesCell Metabolism September 2018

  • Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting.  Annual Revue of Nutrition. 2017 Aug 21;37:371-393. 

2.  Alternate Day Fasting Improves Physiological and Molecular Markers of Aging in Healthy, Non-obese HumansCell Metab. 2019 Sep 3;30(3):462-476.

3.   metabolic switch is essential for cardiomyocyte proliferation in the regenerating Heart 

4. Fasting Boosts Metabolism and Fights Aging. Dr. Takayuki Teruya, Medical News Today Monday 4 February 2019

Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes. Cell Metabolism, May 2018.

5.  Longer daily fasting times improve health and longevity in miceNational Institute on Aging, September 2018 

6. Ketosis Fasting. Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer's Disease.   Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 9;20(16). pii: E3892. doi: 10.3390/ijms20163892.

7.  Intermittent Metabolic Switching, Neuroplasticity and Brain Health. Mark P. Mattson, Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume19, pages 63–80 (2018)

8. All-you-can-eat Autophagy in Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection.  Philipp A. Jaeger and Tony Wyss-Coray, Neurodegener. 2009 Apr 6;4:16. 

  • Protein Restriction, Epigenetic Diet, Intermittent Fasting as New Approaches for Preventing Age-associated Diseases Int J Prev Med. 2018; 9: 58.


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