FTA:
"A study of over 20,000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
People with heart disease or cancer also had an increased risk of cardiovascular death.
Compared with a standard schedule of eating across 12-16 hours per day, limiting food intake to less than 8 hours per day was not associated with living longer."
Likely this also included people who just don’t eat breakfast because they don’t feel like it, which probably also includes people who have a honey bun and a cigarette for lunch and McDonald’s for dinner. The results of the study also don’t match up with other studies showing a positive result on health markers.
There’s nothing magical about intermittent fasting. It won’t make you live longer, does nothing cool with your hormones, or any of that nonsense. But it is also a convenient, legitimate way for some people to reduce their overall caloric intake. Reducing caloric intake (and in turn losing fat) results in the improved health markers mentioned above.
There’s quite a bit of evidence that it helps with things like immune response and insulin resistance.
I can attest personally that my usual severe allergies get better (where I get my sense of smell back) when I skip lunches. Although it has to be consistent over a period of at least a few weeks for that to work.
The effect on insulin resistance is mostly due to a caloric deficit / lowering of circulating triglycerides, but I think there is a study showing a slight advantage with IF, so you’re right on that one, but it’s not really a huge difference.
Interesting about the lunches! Are you sure though that it isn’t a food intolerance you’re dealing with? Often when people cut out foods and say they feel better it’s because they’re not eating a food that bothers them.
Yes I’m sure. I’m one of the longest cared for patient by a top immunologist professor.
I can wait just about anything during breakfast and dinner. And I don’t technically fast. I have snacks here and there. And I might have an apple with a slice of cheese for “lunch” every so often. But the reduction of intake during the day makes a huge difference.