Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Weber, B.
Cardiovascular effects of intermittent fasting
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Graz Medical University; 2018. pp. 43
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Kolesnik Ewald
- Sourij Harald
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Background: alternate day fasting (ADF) is a subtype of intermittent fasting (IF), consisting of fasting days and feast days, where food can be consumed ad-libitum. Previous studies have observed weight loss and improvement of cardiovascular risk factors through ADF in obese subjects. However, data about health effects and their potential mechanisms in healthy, non-obese subjects performing ADF are still rare. It is the aim of this study to investigate short-term effects of ADF on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy, non-obese individuals. Material and Methods: We performed a prospective, randomized controlled trial consisting of 60 healthy subjects. The participants were randomized either to the ADF group or to the control group. Subjects of the ADF group performed 4 weeks of alternate day fasting with alternating fast days of 36 hours and feast days of 12 hours. The control group was instructed to continue their previous diet. Performed examinations included the measurement of the body composition by using the dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, measurement of the endothelial function with the EndoPAT2000 and dynamic vessel analysis, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), 24 hours blood pressure measurement, echocardiography and blood sampling. Results: The study showed significant reduction in fat mass in the ADF group with -2.12 ± 1.04 kg versus -0.15 ± 0.84 kg in the control group (p < 0.0001) and also in the lean mass with -1.31 ± 0.99 kg in the ADF group versus -0.05 ± 0.97 kg in the control group, p < 0.0001. Systolic blood pressure significantly decreased in the ADF group with -4 ± 8 mmHg (baseline 121 ± 11) compared to the control group with 2 ± 14 mmHg (baseline 118 ± 8), p = 0.0475. No significant changes were found for diastolic blood pressure, blood lipids, endothelial function and parameters of echocardiography. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that alternate day fasting leads to considerable weight loss within 4 weeks and a decrease in systolic blood pressure even in healthy, non-obese subjects. Improvement of other cardiovascular risk factor could not be observed in healthy individuals, at least not for this short period of time.