Alternate-Day Fasting, like most new diets, is offering a way to deal with the increase levels of obesity in our societies. Most advocates have lots of praises about this type of daily eating habit, but is it good for you?
Obesity and chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are becoming more and more common. The number one cause of this is the content of our diets. Most people follow a style of eating filled with conventional processed foods, preservatives, salt, empty calories, and unnecessary carbs.
Because of the dangerous rise of these diseases, and the lack of proper nutrition in our choices of food, various new diets started to become popular. These selective eating styles, or new lifestyle choices such as paleo diet, keto diet, calorie counting, intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting, etc., promise a lot, and many people tried them with the intention of losing weight or improve their health.
The perception of the effects of these diets is largely individual. What works for someone else, does not necessarily work for others. However, the question scientists are asking is: Can your overall health be benefited by these diets?
In the case of Alternate-Day Fasting or ADF, the answer seems to be positive.
What is Alternate-Day Fasting?
Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF) is known as the most intense system of Intermittent Fasting (IF).
ADF is characterized by a long period of complete abstinence from food, which lasts 36 hours, and a shorter 12-hour eating window where you can consume whatever you want.
So, there are no restrictions regarding the types of food you can eat, but there is plenty of hunger involved. At least in the beginning.
New studies show that this eating pattern could have some significant health benefits, including weight loss.
The Health Benefits of Alternate-Day Fasting
A study performed at the University of Graz, Austria, reported very positive health effects of Alternate-Day Fasting.
For a period of four weeks, researchers followed a group of 60 participants who took on a full ADF diet. Subjects had a fasting period of 36 hours followed by a no restriction window of eating of 12 hours.
The first thing that became obvious is that participants could not make up for the lost calories during fasting, by unlimited eating in the 12-hour period. This inevitably led to weight loss.
After the 4-week period, all participants had less belly fat (smaller waistline) and lower cholesterol levels. But there were other positive indicators as well.
A rise of ketone bodies was recorded, even during the 12-hour eating periods. This means that the participant’s bodies were successfully using stored fat for energy.
The ADF diet also caused a reduction of inflammation markers and a decrease in thyroid hormone levels.
All these signs are obvious side effects that lower the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. They also aid in promoting longevity.
The Connection
The connection between Alternate-Day Fasting and an overall improved health is evident, although the exact reasons behind it are still unclear.
Scientists believe that other weight-loss methods, such as calorie counting, could give similar results. They also think it is unnecessary to completely abstain from food during the 36-hour fasting periods.
Researchers suggest that a very restrictive diet, low in calories (less than 500 kcal), would work just as well.
Potential Concerns
Unlike some other dietary changes, such as veganism or vegetarianism, ADF should not be a lifetime solution.
It is an extreme and aggressive method. With the currently known health benefits, it could be a great start for obese people to lose a lot of weight in the first few months of their diet.
Additionally, individuals who are considering ADF should consult a physician first and make sure they are not endangering their health in some way, with fasting.
Most dietitians and nutritionist have stated that viral infections could pose a great threat during fasting periods.
The human immune system needs a steady source of energy to fight viruses.
Long-term safety is also a concern. Not enough human studies about the effects of ADF have been done.
The Bottom Line
Experts admit that alternate-day fasting is an extreme dieting method. Scientists believe that the long-term safety of ADF should be a subject of more research in the future. However, the results we have so far are extremely positive. ADF is associated with several important health benefits, such as weight-loss, a decrease of cholesterol levels, and a reduction of belly fat.
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