How Interval Fasting Works

Starving is harmful - this principle was very popular in dietetics until recently. However, scientific discoveries have forced even conservative specialists to look at the process of giving up food in a different way. It turns out that fasting can be quite beneficial if you do it right. Interval fasting is becoming more and more popular, so let's learn more about this nutrition system .

Where did the information come from that intermittent fasting is useful?

Research in recent years has shown that a reasonable reduction in calorie intake and fasting can significantly extend the active years of life. Of course, we were not talking about fasting for several days or weeks - such practices are possible only under medical supervision within the hospital. The so-called intermittent fasting is now in vogue , which became popular after the Japanese biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi received the Nobel Prize in 2016 for revealing the meaning of the processes that occur in the human body during fasting . He proved that in the event of abstinence from food, the cells of the body begin to self-cleanse. This process is called autophagy.

By the way, such a process can be triggered by a lack of amino acids contained in animal food. Therefore, after the age of 35, it is recommended to review your diet and add more plant foods to it. Also, there is a certain set of substances contained in products that can stimulate the process of autophagy. Among them are resveratrol, vitamin D, catechins and many others. These substances can be found both in food products and dietary supplements.

What is the mechanism of autophagy, which can also be triggered by intermittent fasting ?

If you abstain from food for 12, 24, 36 hours, the waste in the cell begins to be processed. These are metabolic products that need to be removed, the cell itself no longer needs them in this form, or they are old cellular structures that cannot perform their functions. After getting rid of the ballast, the cell begins to function as a younger and healthier one. Cellular debris, by the way, can also be used for other purposes. For example, the structures that make up proteins can become the building material for new cells. Thus, to meet the daily protein requirement (about 200 g is needed to renew the cells of the human body, while we get about 70 g of protein from food), the body can use its own resources.

Is intermittent fasting useful ?

The benefits of moderate fasting for the body have been proven by many studies. It can be practiced as a prevention of carbohydrate metabolism disorders and other ailments related to it (insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes), the development of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as well as the nervous system. Those who practice intermittent fasting note that they get sick less often, and their brain starts to work more energetically: memory improves, tasks are solved more easily. Intermittent fasting also significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer.

And what about prolonged starvation ?

All the above-mentioned benefits have nothing to do with long-term fasting . Starvation diets destroy cellular debris first, and then the cells themselves, which are healthy and functional. As a result, degenerative changes in tissues and organs begin. Starvation diets have a very negative effect on health.

Is it possible to practice intermittent fasting in case of serious diseases?

People who are being treated for cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy should be mentioned separately. For them, short-term fasting can help them get rid of the large amount of waste produced by the destruction of cancer cells faster, which can improve their quality of life. But in this case, intermittent fasting must be carried out only with the permission and under the supervision of a doctor.

Is it possible to lose weight by practicing intermittent fasting ?

Interval fasting does not belong to the nutrition system that helps to lose weight. With its help, you can maintain weight, heal the body, but not get rid of serious excess weight.

Contraindications to intermittent fasting

In order to practice such a nutrition system, you need to have a stable normal weight. Also, you should not starve , even periodically, if you feel prolonged stress. Stressful conditions increase the consumption of micronutrients, even a short-term refusal to eat can worsen the situation. Another contraindication for intermittent fasting is exacerbation of diseases of the digestive tract, as well as the presence of dyskinesia of the biliary tract. Long breaks in food can worsen chronic diseases, cause bile stagnation and inflammation of the gallbladder.