Diet Information

Fasting for Weight Loss and Good Health

April 21, 2010
By J White

Fasting for many is generally associated with some religious rite or spiritual experience. For others, it is an therapeutic practice, such as a cleansing diet or a detoxification process. Even though fasting is generally considered by many as an unhealthy means of losing weight, credible scientific evidence suggest otherwise.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkley found that mice given just 5 percent fewer calories than mice that ate freely experienced a significant reduction in cell proliferation in several tissues considered an indicator for cancer risk. The most significant aspect of the research was that the mice were fed the diet only 3 days a week.

This led them to consider what would happen if even a greater amount of calories were restricted. In following studies using mice that ate freely and mice that fed on 5 percent fewer calories, the researcher added a group of mice in which 33 percent of the calories were restricted 3 days a week. The period of these trials ranged between two weeks to three months.

The results showed that the group of mice consuming 33 percent fewer calories had an even greater resistance to cell proliferation, with the greatest effect being seen after one month.

These results are not as surprising as they may seem. Previous studies have already shown that substantial calorie reduction can reduce the rate of cell proliferation. In addition, these studies also have shown that the reduction in calories can extend the maximum life span, with some studies reporting a 30 to 70 percent increase in life span.

So what about fasting as oppose to calorie restriction? In study perfumed using 16 non-obese adults, the researchers found that eating every other day was feasible, but the participants reported feeling hungry and irritable on their fasting days. It was suggested that adding small meals with no more than 20 percent of their daily caloric needs might help to take the edge off.

In short, given the health benefits of reduced calories, fasting can be a viable and healthy option for some who want to lose weight. Keep in mind though that the periods of fasting lasted no more than a day. Besides being irritable, prolonged periods of going without food can have detrimental effects on your health, such as headaches and electrolyte imbalances.

Share and Enjoy: