A randomized controlled trial to isolate the effects of fasting and energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic health in lean adults
Templeman I, Smith HA, Chowdhury E, Chen YC, Carroll H, Johnson-Bonson D, Hengist A, Smith R, Creighton J, Clayton D, Varley I, Karagounis LG, Wilhelmsen A, Tsintzas K, Reeves S, Walhin JP, Gonzalez JT, Thompson D, Betts JA
Science translational medicine · 92 citations
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
- University or hospital
- Nottingham Trent University
- University or hospital
- Trent University
- University or hospital
- University of Bath
Based on 3 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2021-06-16 · Sci Transl Med · vol. 13 · issue 598
- Publisher
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Cited
- 114 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 9.5× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 64 works
- Access
- Open access (repository copy) · OTHER-OA
- Research areas
- Dietary Effects on Health · Diet and metabolism studies · Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Keywords
- Intermittent fasting, Weight loss, Randomized controlled trial, Medicine, Calorie restriction, Body weight, Energy metabolism, Physiology, Environmental health, Internal medicine, Obesity
- MeSH
- humans, obesity, body weight, weight loss, caloric restriction, fasting, body composition, energy metabolism, energy intake, adult
19 authors
From GB, TW, SE, CH
- Iain TemplemanUniversity of Bath
- Harry SmithUniversity of Bath
- Enhad A. ChowdhuryUniversity of Bath
- Yung-Chih ChenNational Taiwan Normal University; University of Bath
- Harriet A. CarrollLund University; University of Bath
- Drusus Johnson-BonsonUniversity of Bath
Abstract
Intermittent fasting may impart metabolic benefits independent of energy balance by initiating fasting-mediated mechanisms. This randomized controlled trial examined 24-hour fasting with 150% energy intake on alternate days for 3 weeks in lean, healthy individuals (0:150; n = 12). Control groups involved a matched degree of energy restriction applied continuously without fasting (75% energy intake daily; 75:75; n = 12) or a matched pattern of fasting without net energy restriction (200% energy intake on alternate days; 0:200; n = 12). Primary outcomes were body composition, components of energy balance, and postprandial metabolism. Daily energy restriction (75:75) reduced body mass (-1.91 ± 0.99 kilograms) almost entirely due to fat loss (-1.75 ± 0.79 kilograms). Restricting energy intake via fasting (0:150) also decreased body mass (-1.60 ± 1.06 kilograms; P = 0.46 versus 75:75) but with attenuated reductions in body fat (-0.74 ± 1.32 kilograms; P = 0.01 versus 75:75), whereas fasting without energy restriction (0:200) did not significantly reduce either body mass (-0.52 ± 1.09 kilograms; P ≤ 0.04 versus 75:75 and 0:150) or fat mass (-0.12 ± 0.68 kilograms; P ≤ 0.05 versus 75:75 and 0:150). Postprandial indices of cardiometabolic health and gut hormones, along with the expression of key genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, were not statistically different between groups (P > 0.05). Alternate-day fasting less effectively reduces body fat mass than a matched degree of daily energy restriction and without evidence of fasting-specific effects on metabolic regulation or cardiovascular health.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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