Hormonal
Intermittent Fasting (IF) and Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) improve insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) to a greater extent than Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) in some studies, potentially due to rapid mobilization of visceral and hepatic fat.
If you have insulin resistance or Type 2 Diabetes, trying 2 days of significant calorie restriction per week may improve your blood sugar control better than daily dieting, likely by clearing fat from your liver. Ensure you eat enough protein on all days to protect muscle.
two studies reporting greater reductions in HOMA insulin resistance in response to IER... Reports of significant reductions in hepatic fat stores... suggest reductions could occur during the repeated spells of restriction with IF/IER each week. Such reductions may account for the reported improvements in homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) insulin resistance
Why this rating
Based on small RCTs and animal models; human data is limited and mixed.
Source
Potential Benefits and Harms of Intermittent Energy Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Amongst Obese, Overweight and Normal Weight Subjects—A Narrative Review of Human and Animal Evidence
Michelle Harvie et al. · Behavioral Sciences · 2017
DOI 10.3390/bs7010004
More from this paper
- Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) produces weight loss and body fat reduction equivalent to Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) when total energy intake is matched, with some regimens showing superior fat loss due to better adherence.Moderate
- Intermittent Fasting (IF) in normal-weight subjects may cause adverse metabolic effects, including increased visceral fat, muscle insulin resistance, and increased intramyocellular triglycerides, which are not seen with Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) or Continuous Energy Restriction (CER).Limited
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