Time-restricted eating has gained popularity in recent years, and recent research suggests that intermittent fasting can be effective. weight loss — May not live up to the hype in terms of far-reaching benefits.
In a small German study, participants in two different settings time-restricted meals Although the schedule led to weight loss, there was no improvement in blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, or other key cardiometabolic markers.
Participants included 31 women who were overweight or obese. For two weeks, one group ate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the other group ate from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., while maintaining their normal caloric intake, according to a press release.
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The findings, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, have been widely publicized. cardiometabolic benefits Researchers say the cause of intermittent fasting may be a result of reduced calorie intake, rather than meal timing.
Participants also showed changes in circadian rhythms (sleep/wake cycle) when placed on a time-restricted eating schedule, but the associated health effects are unknown.
This study had several limitations. Some researchers have questioned the significance of the study because of its small size.
“Given how mild the intervention is, there is a significant lack of power to detect a difference,” Dr. Jason Huang, a Canadian physician, author, and researcher, told FOX News Digital. He also noted that participants fasted for 16 hours a day instead of the usual 12 to 14 hours.
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lauren harris pincus Registered dietitian nutritionist The New Jersey researchers agreed that the finding could be due to the fact that there was no intentional calorie restriction, and reiterated that the sample size was “fairly small.”
“As a registered dietitian, I only recommend time-restricted meals if they are carefully planned and modified earlier in the day,” Harris Pincus, who was not involved in the study, told FOX News Digital.
“Only 1 in 10 Americans consumes the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, and 93% fail to meet their dietary fiber goals. Restricting the scope of your diet requires more careful meal planning to ensure adequate intake of macro and micronutrients.”
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Experts also warned that skip breakfast Allowing meals to be delayed later may reduce intake of “nutrients of concern” in Americans’ diets, such as calcium, potassium, fiber, and vitamin D.
Looking to the future, the researchers said more research is needed to investigate the long-term effects of time-restricted eating. Additionally, it is not yet known how the combination of calorie restriction and time-restricted eating affects outcomes. Future research could also investigate how different populations respond.
Dr. Darryl Joffre, a gut health expert and prominent New York nutritionist, noted that the study did not take into account important factors such as chronic stress, sleep quality, medications, hormonal status, and baseline. metabolic health.
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“All of these can significantly slow fat loss and cardiometabolic improvements,” Joffre, who was also not involved in the study, told FOX News Digital.
“Cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, is naturally highest in the morning, coinciding with one of the studied fasting periods,” he continued. “When stress increases, cortisol alone can block fat burning, disrupt blood sugar regulation, and mask cardiovascular improvements, regardless of caloric intake or dietary range.”
However, Joffre says that when done correctly and continued over a long period of time, intermittent fasting can improve insulin regulation, reduce inflammation, and support fat loss. Improved cardiovascular health.
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“These results simply cannot be captured in such short-term, stress-blind studies,” he added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to researchers for comment.
