- In one study, a fasting mimicking diet (FMD) reduced insulin resistance, liver fat, inflammationn, and other markers associated with aging.
- The diet is based on consuming formula foods containing controlled levels of dietary macros on days 1-5, and then eating normally for 25 days out of the month.
- This fasting-like diet style is not suitable for everyone, including pregnant people and the elderly.
Three cycles of a so-called fasting-mimetic diet (FMD) have been shown to reduce biomarkers associated with insulin resistance, liver fat in humans, and other markers associated with aging.
Professor, University of Southern California Leonard Davis walter longo, senior author of the new study, designed the FMD. This 5-day diet of his is high in unsaturated fats and low in protein, carbohydrates, and calories.
The study looked at the effects of diet in two clinical studies of men and women aged 18 to 70. Participants who followed the fasting-mimicking diet underwent a 5-day FMD after a 3-4 month cycle and complied with the following rules: Eat a normal diet for the remaining 25 days.
The results showed that patients in the FMD group had lower insulin resistance, lower HbA1c results, and better fasting blood glucose results. There was also a reduction in abdominal fat and liver fat, as well as improvements in immune system markers suggesting reduced inflammation.
Additionally, both clinical studies showed that people who followed FMD decreased markers associated with biological aging by an average of 2.5 years.
This research
The clinical study, which involved 100 participants, found that a plant-based fasting-mimicking diet for 5 days a month changed people’s biological age in just 3-month cycles, without changing their lifestyle. It has been shown that it can be lowered.
The researchers provided participants with foods formulated to contain a fixed proportion of macro and micronutrients, such as soups, energy bars, snacks, and tea, for one to five days. They were provided by L-Nutra Inc., a company that sells prepared foods to people who are fasting. The study states that two of the authors “have an equity interest in L-Nutra.”
The first study conducted by these researchers was metabolic health and disease Similar results were shown in 2023.
“Both the study conducted in Los Angeles and the study conducted in Tennessee showed a similar effect on the 2.5-year decrease in biological age measured by the biome method developed by Morgan Levin at Yale University. This result is particularly compelling because we not only showed that the rejuvenation or function of multiple systems, including the immune system, liver, and endocrine system, as measured by standard methods, but also showed similar evidence. / Improving health,” Professor Longo said. Today’s medical news.
“The next step is to understand how this standardized plant-based FMD cycle, packaged like a medicine box, can not only help people stay young, but also prevent diseases such as diabetes and CVD. “We want to continue to allow more universities to conduct clinical trials to test how this can help prevent and even treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and biological age and multisystem dysfunction.” considered to be a major risk factor for the disease. ”
— Professor Valter Longo
“We also hope that these studies will persuade doctors to add FMD to their toolkit for disease prevention and possibly treatment,” he added.
There are many ways this diet can improve your overall health.
reduce inflammation
“Foot-and-mouth disease does exactly what its name suggests: it mimics fasting,” he said. Dr. Nicole Avenanutritional consultant, assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, visiting professor of health psychology at Princeton University, and author. Sugarless.
“This diet is beneficial for balancing blood sugar levels, improving insulin resistance, and reducing inflammation throughout the body. By giving your body time to rest, rather than digest, it heals inflammation. , you can focus your energy on more pressing internal ‘issues’,” she explained.
Lower biological age and disease risk factors
Many lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, are associated with shorter lifespans.
“These diseases cause inflammation in the body, allowing the proliferation of reactive oxygen species (ROS),” Abena explained. “Excess ROS can cause disease, so aim for a low-inflammatory lifestyle by:
“Biological age is particularly interesting because it tells us how old we actually are.” feel Compare it to our actual age. “The more inflammation and disease you have, the more it determines your ability to carry out acts of daily life,” she added.
Although the clinical consensus is that FMD is generally safe, there are some people who should not follow this diet.
“If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and are considered elderly, FMD is not suitable for you,” Abena said.
“Metabolic demands are high during pregnancy, but as we get older, our metabolism isn’t as fast as it was when we were younger,” she added.
During pregnancy, getting enough nutrients is essential for the health of the baby and parents.
Fasting is usually not recommended for older people, especially if they already have chronic health problems.
FMD usually consists of high-fat foods, but protein remains relatively low.
“This is the perfect time to try a Mediterranean-style diet that includes beans, olive oil, fatty fish, and whole grains,” Abena says.
“Remember, you’re trying to drink plenty of water and eat less than your estimated calorie needs for five days. Doing this once a month is a systematic approach, but it’s important to remember that you’re trying to drink plenty of water and eat less than your estimated calorie needs for five days. Please continue to incorporate healthy foods. [in] “It’s a Mediterranean diet all month long,” she explained.
