Hormonal
Six months of intermittent fasting (2-3 non-consecutive days of vegetable-only fasting per week) significantly reduces body weight, body fat, and improves lipid profiles (LDL-C, non-HDL-C, triglycerides) in middle-aged adults with overweight, without significantly affecting blood pressure, fasting glucose, or inflammatory markers.
If you are overweight and middle-aged, trying intermittent fasting 2-3 days a week with a vegetable-only diet on those days can significantly improve your weight and cholesterol levels without needing to change your diet on other days. This approach is well-tolerated and offers specific metabolic benefits beyond just eating less.
IF led to an 8% reduction in body weight, a 16% decrease in body fat, and significant improvements in lipid profile, including substantial reductions in plasma LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides (p = 0.001). However, no significant changes were observed in other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a relatively small sample size (n=41) but rigorous multi-omic analysis.
Source
Cardiometabolic and molecular adaptations to 6-month intermittent fasting in middle-aged men and women with overweight: secondary outcomes of a randomized controlled trial
Ruteja A. Barve et al. · Nature Communications · 2025
DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-66366-8
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