# Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term for eating patterns that alternate normal intake with extended fasting windows, including 16:8 time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, and 5:2 protocols. Fasting periods lower insulin and glycogen, trigger lipolysis and ketogenesis, and induce autophagy. Clinical trials show modest improvements in body composition, glycemic control, and blood pressure; meta-analyses suggest results are broadly comparable to matched continuous calorie reduction, though some trials report small advantages for visceral fat or insulin sensitivity.

## Sources

- Longo VD, Mattson MP. (2014). Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. Cell Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008
- Trepanowski JF, Kroeger CM, Barnosky A, Klempel MC, Bhutani S, Hoddy KK, et al.. (2017). Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting on Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Cardioprotection Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Adults. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.0936

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