A Recent Study Links Intermittent Fasting To Heart Diseases. Is The Claim True? Experts Explain

Intermittent Fasting refers to voluntarily restricting eating hours as a way of boosting health. Water, coffee, and other calorie-free beverages are allowed during the fast, but no solid foods.

A new research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention on March 19 unveiled a noteworthy correlation between intermittent fasting and heart health saying that individuals who adhered to an eight-hour time-restricted eating pattern, a prevalent form of intermittent fasting, were observed to face a staggering 91% rise in the risk of mortality related to cardiovascular diseases. To know more about this, ABP Live sought the opinion of experts who explained the validity of the research and also talked about the benefits of intermittent fasting.

But, before that, let's know what intermittent fasting is.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Fasting is abstinence from any kind of food for a definite period of time. Based on the duration it can be classified as short fasting, long fasting and intermittent fasting- each of which has different therapeutic outcomes. Intermittent Fasting refers to voluntarily restricting eating hours and/or meal times as a way of boosting health. Water, coffee, and other calorie-free beverages are allowed during the fast, but no solid foods or calorie-containing drinks are permitted.

Types Of Intermittent Fasting:

Dr. Manoj Kutteri, Medical Director & CEO of Atmantan Wellness Centre shared the types of intermittent fasting and told that although there are many types of intermittent fasting, the most popular and effective one for weight loss are:

• The 16-hour fasting (Autophagy)

In this method of intermittent, one eats food at dinner time and then goes off food for 16-18 hours. During this period only plain water is taken. The physiological changes that happen in the body are known as Autophagy where there is degradation of protein molecules along with replacement of aged cells by new cells. Autophagy begins when liver glycogen is depleted, about 12-16 hours from the onset of the fast. The rate of autophagy peaks there, and then drops after about 2 days. Intermittent fasting helps the body to go through this phase more frequently and reduces the risk of adaptation by the body that happens in a prolonged fast.   

• Eat-Stop-Eat Fasting

In this method of intermittent fasting, we have periodical abstinence from food followed by eating a healthy meal. There can be one or two lean meals before and after the fasting period followed by a wholesome healthy meal. The fasting phase can last for 24 to 48 hours depending on the individual. This method of fasting helps to retain muscle mass better than cutting down the daily intake of calories. During the fasting phase, one can consume low-calorie drinks such as plain lime juice, thin vegetable extracts, herbal teas and plenty of water. On breaking the fast, one has to eat in moderation and with increasing consistency. It is advisable to have one or two meals with soups and salad or steamed veggies and then come back to the main diet.

Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting:

Intermittent fasting has garnered significant popularity in the past few years. Although, the new study has raised health concerns, fasting, on the other hand, is believed to have a number of benefits. Talking about the same, Dr. Kalpana Janardhan who is the Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine at Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta road, Bangalore said, "Fasting may have positive impacts on blood sugar, blood pressure, brain function and cancer prevention."

"Intermittent fasting also helps with weight management, but there are different types, different durations of fasting. Fasting can be practiced by people who may be healthy or suffer from a different spectrum of diseases, after consulting a healthcare practitioner," she added.

Talking further about the benfits of fasting, Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy, Head of the Department - Interventional Cardiology, Kauvery Hospital, Marathahalli, Bengaluru said, "The advantages of fasting are varied. It increases lipolysis and reduces visceral fat. It has a positive impact on insulin resistance too."

How Fasting Affects Different People:

A new study showed that people who restricted their eating to less than 8 hours per day were nearly twice as likely to die of cardiovascular disease compared to those who had food over a 12–16-hour period. But, Dr. Kalpana said that many factors were not taken into account such as the other diseases that the patients suffer from, adding, "It is too early to come to a conclusion and long term research and peer review is needed."

However, the effects of fasting will be different for different people because metabolic rates and body fat percentages vary for each individual.

"Fasting is not suitable for growing children, the elderly, and pregnant women. It also takes some time to get used to. The recent report on intermittent fasting is controversial as one can’t have any conclusions without large scale, controlled studies. It’s wrong to base our conclusions on one single observational study," added Dr. Deepak.

Talking about the tradition meaning of intermittent fasting, Dr. Srinivas Prasad BV, Senior Consultant - Interventional Cardiology at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road said, "Traditionally, what we mean by intermittent fasting is people skipping either breakfast or a meal. More commonly, it's afternoon meal, its called as a intermittent fasting. This study does not talk about those kind of people who are doing a traditional meaning of an intermittent fasting. It only talks about eating habits of certain group of people who practice eating all their meals within 8 hours in a given day and not spreading it over 12 to 16 hours."

Drawbacks Of Intermittent Fasting:

While intermittent fasting has benefits such as weight loss, improved health span, insulin sensitivity, and brain and heart health, it also has drawbacks like weakness, fatigue, hormonal changes, and an increased urge to overeat.

Dr. Vishal Sehgal, President of Portea Medical said, "Individuals who are pregnant or susceptible to hypoglycemia or other chronic conditions should refrain from adopting this diet plan. It is always advised to consult with experts, such as doctors or nutritionists, before starting intermittent fasting, especially if you have certain medical conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding."

[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]