Research

Hormonal

Fasting-based strategies improve insulin sensitivity (reduced fasting insulin and HOMA-IR) in the short term compared to continuous caloric restriction, but this benefit is not sustained in long-term outcomes for fasting glucose.

If you are obese, trying fasting strategies (like time-restricted eating) may help improve your insulin sensitivity in the first few months compared to just counting calories. This is measured by lower fasting insulin levels. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you will lose more weight in the long run, so use this metabolic benefit as one factor in choosing your strategy.

GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
FBS improved insulin sensitivity, with significant reductions in fasting insulin (−7.46 pmol/L, p = 0.02) and HOMA-IR (−0.14, p = 0.02)... In the long-term, FBS appears to have a more pronounced effect on glucose metabolism. Fasting glucose levels showed a significant reduction (−3.59 mg/dL) in comparison with CCR.
Víctor Siles-Guerrero et al. · Nutrients · 2024

Why this rating

Based on meta-analysis of RCTs, though heterogeneity and lack of blinding are noted.

Source

Is Fasting Superior to Continuous Caloric Restriction for Weight Loss and Metabolic Outcomes in Obese Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Víctor Siles-Guerrero et al. · Nutrients · 2024

DOI 10.3390/nu16203533

Meta-analysis · 10 studiesCited 15×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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