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A randomized controlled trial to isolate the effects of fasting and energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic health in lean adults

Templeman, Iain ; Smith, Harry Alex ; Chowdhury, Enhad ; Chen, Yung Chih ; Carroll, Harriet LU orcid ; Johnson-Bonson, Drusus ; Hengist, Aaron ; Smith, Rowan ; Creighton, Jade and Clayton, David , et al. (2021) In Science Translational Medicine 13(598).
Abstract

Intermittent fasting may impart metabolic benefits independent of energy balance by initiating fasting-mediated mechanisms. This randomized controlled trial examined 24-hour fasting with 150% energy intake on alternate days for 3 weeks in lean, healthy individuals (0:150; n = 12). Control groups involved a matched degree of energy restriction applied continuously without fasting (75% energy intake daily; 75:75; n = 12) or a matched pattern of fasting without net energy restriction (200% energy intake on alternate days; 0:200; n = 12). Primary outcomes were body composition, components of energy balance, and postprandial metabolism. Daily energy restriction (75:75) reduced body mass (-1.91 } 0.99 kilograms) almost entirely due to fat... (More)

Intermittent fasting may impart metabolic benefits independent of energy balance by initiating fasting-mediated mechanisms. This randomized controlled trial examined 24-hour fasting with 150% energy intake on alternate days for 3 weeks in lean, healthy individuals (0:150; n = 12). Control groups involved a matched degree of energy restriction applied continuously without fasting (75% energy intake daily; 75:75; n = 12) or a matched pattern of fasting without net energy restriction (200% energy intake on alternate days; 0:200; n = 12). Primary outcomes were body composition, components of energy balance, and postprandial metabolism. Daily energy restriction (75:75) reduced body mass (-1.91 } 0.99 kilograms) almost entirely due to fat loss (-1.75 } 0.79 kilograms). Restricting energy intake via fasting (0:150) also decreased body mass (-1.60 } 1.06 kilograms; P = 0.46 versus 75:75) but with attenuated reductions in body fat (-0.74 } 1.32 kilograms; P = 0.01 versus 75:75), whereas fasting without energy restriction (0:200) did not significantly reduce either body mass (-0.52 } 1.09 kilograms; P ≤ 0.04 versus 75:75 and 0:150) or fat mass (-0.12 } 0.68 kilograms; P ≤ 0.05 versus 75:75 and 0:150). Postprandial indices of cardiometabolic health and gut hormones, along with the expression of key genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, were not statistically different between groups (P >0.05). Alternate-day fasting less effectively reduces body fat mass than a matched degree of daily energy restriction and without evidence of fasting-specific effects on metabolic regulation or cardiovascular health.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Science Translational Medicine
volume
13
issue
598
article number
eabd8034
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:34135111
  • scopus:85108346791
ISSN
1946-6234
DOI
10.1126/scitranslmed.abd8034
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3940b592-9a64-40f5-a52f-9c022417e294
date added to LUP
2021-07-15 13:28:16
date last changed
2024-06-16 16:06:04
@article{3940b592-9a64-40f5-a52f-9c022417e294,
  abstract     = {{<p>Intermittent fasting may impart metabolic benefits independent of energy balance by initiating fasting-mediated mechanisms. This randomized controlled trial examined 24-hour fasting with 150% energy intake on alternate days for 3 weeks in lean, healthy individuals (0:150; n = 12). Control groups involved a matched degree of energy restriction applied continuously without fasting (75% energy intake daily; 75:75; n = 12) or a matched pattern of fasting without net energy restriction (200% energy intake on alternate days; 0:200; n = 12). Primary outcomes were body composition, components of energy balance, and postprandial metabolism. Daily energy restriction (75:75) reduced body mass (-1.91 } 0.99 kilograms) almost entirely due to fat loss (-1.75 } 0.79 kilograms). Restricting energy intake via fasting (0:150) also decreased body mass (-1.60 } 1.06 kilograms; P = 0.46 versus 75:75) but with attenuated reductions in body fat (-0.74 } 1.32 kilograms; P = 0.01 versus 75:75), whereas fasting without energy restriction (0:200) did not significantly reduce either body mass (-0.52 } 1.09 kilograms; P ≤ 0.04 versus 75:75 and 0:150) or fat mass (-0.12 } 0.68 kilograms; P ≤ 0.05 versus 75:75 and 0:150). Postprandial indices of cardiometabolic health and gut hormones, along with the expression of key genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, were not statistically different between groups (P &gt;0.05). Alternate-day fasting less effectively reduces body fat mass than a matched degree of daily energy restriction and without evidence of fasting-specific effects on metabolic regulation or cardiovascular health.</p>}},
  author       = {{Templeman, Iain and Smith, Harry Alex and Chowdhury, Enhad and Chen, Yung Chih and Carroll, Harriet and Johnson-Bonson, Drusus and Hengist, Aaron and Smith, Rowan and Creighton, Jade and Clayton, David and Varley, Ian and Karagounis, Leonidas Georgios and Wilhelmsen, Andrew and Tsintzas, Kostas and Reeves, Sue and Walhin, Jean Philippe and Gonzalez, Javier Thomas and Thompson, Dylan and Betts, James Alexander}},
  issn         = {{1946-6234}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{598}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science Translational Medicine}},
  title        = {{A randomized controlled trial to isolate the effects of fasting and energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic health in lean adults}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abd8034}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/scitranslmed.abd8034}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}