Skip to content
Back to glossary
Metabolism

Intermittent fasting

DEIntervallfasten

Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term for eating patterns that alternate normal intake with extended fasting windows, including 16:8 time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, and 5:2 protocols. Fasting periods lower insulin and glycogen, trigger lipolysis and ketogenesis, and induce autophagy. Clinical trials show modest improvements in body composition, glycemic control, and blood pressure; meta-analyses suggest results are broadly comparable to matched continuous calorie reduction, though some trials report small advantages for visceral fat or insulin sensitivity.

Last reviewed:

Sources

  1. Longo VD, Mattson MP. (2014). Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. *Cell Metabolism*doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008
  2. Trepanowski JF, Kroeger CM, Barnosky A, Klempel MC, Bhutani S, Hoddy KK, et al.. (2017). Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting on Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Cardioprotection Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Adults. *JAMA Internal Medicine*doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.0936