[Fasting during health and diseases]

Area of Science:

• Nutrition science
• Metabolic health
• Human physiology

Context:

• Fasting, including intermittent and continuous types, is gaining popularity for therapeutic and weight management purposes.
• While prescribed for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, robust clinical evidence is limited.
• Weight loss through fasting can lead to undesirable loss of fat-free mass.

Purpose:

• To review the current understanding of fasting's effects on human health and disease.
• To highlight the need for rigorous scientific investigation into various fasting protocols.
• To address the implications of fasting for body composition, particularly fat-free mass.

Summary:

• Fasting is a growing trend for weight loss and managing chronic illnesses, despite a lack of extensive randomized controlled trials.
• Concerns exist regarding the loss of fat-free mass during fasting-induced weight reduction.
• Long-term effects of chronic caloric restriction, studied in animals for longevity, remain under-researched in humans.

Impact:

• Emphasizes the need for high-quality human studies to validate therapeutic fasting claims.
• Informs healthcare professionals and individuals about potential benefits and risks of fasting.
• Guides future research directions in nutritional science and metabolic health.