Time-restricted eating effects on performance, immune function, and body composition in elite cyclists: a randomized controlled trial
Moro T, Tinsley G, Longo G, Grigoletto D, Bianco A, Ferraris C, Guglielmetti M, Veneto A, Tagliabue A, Marcolin G, Paoli A
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 101 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Authors
- At least one author declares a financial tie to industry
Based on full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2020-01-03 · J Int Soc Sports Nutr · vol. 17 · issue 1 · p. 65
- Publisher
- Springer Science+Business Media
- Cited
- 147 citations · more than 98% of similar papers · 7.4× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 54 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Dietary Effects on Health · Muscle metabolism and nutrition · Enhanced Recovery After Surgery
- Keywords
- Medicine, Bioelectrical impedance analysis, Fat free mass, Internal medicine, Anabolism, Randomized controlled trial, Basal metabolic rate, Endocrinology, Time trial, Body mass index, Animal science, Fat mass, Blood pressure, Heart rate, Biology
- MeSH
- immune system, humans, weight loss, creatinine, testosterone, transforming growth factor alpha, insulin-like growth factor i, interleukin-6, basal metabolism, leukocyte count, lymphocyte count, diet, fasting, body composition, energy intake, electric impedance, time factors, bicycling, male, athletic performance, young adult, athletes, sports nutritional physiological phenomena
11 authors
From IT, US
- Tatiana Rojo MoroUniversity of Padua
- Grant M. TinsleyTexas Tech University
- Giovanni LongoUniversity of Padua
- Davide GrigolettoUniversity of Padua
- Antonino BiancoUniversity of Palermo
- Cinzia FerrarisUniversity of Pavia
Abstract
Background
Although there is substantial interest in intermittent fasting as a dietary approach in active individuals, information regarding its effects in elite endurance athletes is currently unavailable. The present parallel randomized trial investigated the effects of a particular intermittent fasting approach, called time-restricted eating (TRE), during 4 weeks of high-level endurance training.
Methods
Sixteen elite under-23 cyclists were randomly assigned either to a TRE group or a control group (ND). The TRE group consumed 100% of its estimated daily energy needs in an 8-h time window (from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) whilst energy intake in the ND group was distributed in 3 meals consumed between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Fat and fat-free mass were estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis and VO2max and basal metabolism by indirect gas analyzer. In addition, blood counts, anabolic hormones (i.e. free testosterone, IGF-1) and inflammatory markers (i.e. IL-6, TNF-α) were assessed.
Results
TRE reduced body weight (- 2%; p = 0.04) and fat mass percentage (- 1.1%; p = 0.01) with no change in fat-free mass. Performance tests showed no significant differences between groups, however the peak power output/body weight ratio (PPO/BW) improved in TRE group due to weight loss (p = 0.02). Free testosterone and IGF-1 decreased significantly (p = 0.01 and p = 0.03 respectively) in TRE group. Leucocyte count decreased in ND group (p = 0.02) whilst the neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) decreased significantly (p = 0.03) in TRE group.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that a TRE program with an 8-h feeding window elicits weight loss, improves body composition and increases PPO/BW in elite cyclists. TRE could also be beneficial for reducing inflammation and may have a protective effect on some components of the immune system. Overall, TRE could be considered as a component of a periodized nutrition plan in endurance athletes.
Trial registration
This trial was retrospectively registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04320784 on 25 March 2020.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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