Debunking 4 myths about fasting
We spoke to Simone Austin, accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, about the claimed health benefits of fasting.
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Different eating plans promote different windows of fasting time, but across the board, fasting based diets have skyrocketed into popularity in the last five years or so.
The health benefits of fasting have been touted by the likes of the American National Institute on Ageing and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – and there are some pretty big claims in terms of its benefits.
Simone Austin weighs in on some of those suggested benefits.
1. Fasting promotes cellular repair
The body induces important cellular repair processes, such as removing waste material from cells, which The Centre for Dementia Research claims that fasting encourages. The process involves the cells breaking down and metabolising broken and dysfunctional proteins, potentially preventing illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. However, Simone Austin say that we don’t need fasting to do this.
“If you’re eating a well-rounded diet you will end up with the same benefits…. high fibre cereal not too many sugars and the right amount of fat will do the trick.”
2. Fasting reduces insulin and blood sugars
In a study published in the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine, intermittent fasting is said to have reduced participants’ blood sugars by three to six per cent, while insulin was reduced by 20 to 31 per cent.
However, Simone says that this is unnecessary. “As long as you’re eating the recommended intake and only a quarter of your plate is carbohydrates (preferable wholegrain) you can lower your blood sugars by just doing that.” She also recommends including protein in your meals.
3. Fasting increases your metabolic rate
Your metabolic rate affects your metabolism, and pro-fasters say that by fasting, you’ll increase your metabolic rate and in turn, lose weight in the long run. However, Simone explains that it is actually a lot more complicated than that.
“If you’re eating regularly, your rate should stay similar. But this is also affected by your hormone levels, whether your sleeping or not and how strong you are. It’s linked to a whole lot of things… It would have to be over a very long period of time for fasting to affect this”.
4. Fasting reduces oxidative stress
The American National Institute of Ageing claims that fasting can reduce oxidative stress, which is one of the steps toward many diseases such as Alzheimer’s. However, Simone says there is not quite enough evidence to confirm that trials in animal studies show evidence that results will be the same in humans. Though it is “worthwhile having a look into”.
Have you given fasting a go? Let us know your experiences in the comments below.
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