Intermittent Fasting (IF) has provided some with a short-term solution for weight loss, but at what cost? Three studies say it may be putting your heart at risk. Here’s what you need to know.
Research presented last year at the American Heart Association, Lifestyle, and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions studied 8-hour-time-restricted eating among 20,000 adults.
They found a 91% higher risk of cardiovascular disease. If the person had cancer or cardiovascular disease, this increased the risk of death in comparison to eating in a 12-16-hour window.
“We were surprised to find that people who followed an 8-hour, time-restricted eating schedule were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Even though this type of diet has been popular due to its potential short-term benefits, our research clearly shows that, compared with a typical eating time range of 12-16 hours per day, a shorter eating duration was not associated with living longer,” said senior study author Victor Wenze Zhong, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China.
“It’s crucial for patients, particularly those with existing heart conditions or cancer, to be aware of the association between an 8-hour eating window and increased risk of cardiovascular death.
Our study’s findings encourage a more cautious, personalized approach to dietary recommendations, ensuring that they are aligned with an individual’s health status and the latest scientific evidence,” Zhong continued.
The study authors do not say that IF causes CVD but advise caution. If you have a chronic health condition, it is imperative to talk to your HCP before embarking on any weight management program, even if it doesn’t involve new foods or medicine.
The Risks of Intermittent Fasting When You Have Obesity
Frontiers in Nutrition examined intermittent fasting (IF) compared to alternate-day fasting (ADF) and traditional caloric reduction for patients with overweight and obesity. It concluded that observational studies were lacking in the research.
According to the study, “We suggest that increased loss of lean mass, circadian misalignment of food consumption, and/or compromised food quality may underpin the adverse effects of IF on cardiovascular health in genetically predisposed individuals.”
However, you may not know if you are genetically predisposed, so consult an HCP.
They further reported that limited eating windows may prompt food choices that are satisfying rather than nutritionally balanced. They noted that individuals doing IF experience an uptick in sugar intake and a decrease in fiber and meat consumption, and they may pack in more calories overall in that 8-hour window. If reward eating gets out of control, LDL cholesterol, a CVD risk factor, will also increase.
The study showed that the loss of lean muscle mass is another risk of IF. “An RCT in patients with overweight or obesity found that a 12-week hypocaloric TRE regimen led to a greater loss of lean mass compared to a conventional hypocaloric diet,” the study reported.
“The reduction in lean mass accounted for approximately 65% of total weight loss, notably higher than the typical 20–30% range observed with standard hypocaloric diets, and primarily involved loss of skeletal muscle mass. Reduced muscle mass has been associated with an increased risk of CVD, as well as cardiovascular events and mortality,” the study concluded.
The authors strongly suggest caution in employing this long-term dietary strategy for cardiovascular health.
Eating Dinner Later Increases Your CVD Risks
Nature published a third study, which explored the times of first and last meals of the day and increasing fasting duration with the risk of CVD of 103,389 participants of the NutriNet-Santé cohort.
Researchers found that each additional hour delayed the time of the day’s first meal, which was associated with a higher risk of overall CVD. They saw an 8% increased risk of cerebrovascular disease before 8 PM and a 28% higher risk after 9 PM. Most of the people in the delayed groupings were women, of course!
Quick fixes like internment fasting may make getting and keeping consistent results difficult. If you want help exploring your weight management options, talk to your doctor about seeing a dietician or a weight loss specialist.
