{"id":339,"date":"2024-06-16T11:13:34","date_gmt":"2024-06-16T11:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/health-reporter.com\/?p=339"},"modified":"2024-06-18T18:38:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T18:38:53","slug":"is-intermittent-fasting-bad-for-your-heart-heres-what-the-experts-say-a-healthy-weight-loss-alternative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/health-reporter.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/16\/is-intermittent-fasting-bad-for-your-heart-heres-what-the-experts-say-a-healthy-weight-loss-alternative\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Intermittent Fasting Bad for Your Heart? Here\u2019s What The Experts Say (+A Healthy Weight Loss Alternative)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Intermittent fasting kills?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new research, presented at a scientific session by the American Heart Association, will change dieting for millions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research shows that restricting daily eating to 8 hours or fewer is linked to a 91% higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.<\/strong> 1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The risk spikes to an alarming 107% for those already battling heart conditions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study particularly mentions a popular 16:8 eating diet<\/strong>, where you have an 8-hour window to eat and then fast for the remaining 16 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this study reliable? Well, decide for yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2192 the research analyzed over 20,000 U.S. adults, average age 49,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2192 participants were tracked for an average of 8 years and up to 17 years,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2192 the participant group was gender-balanced, with nearly equal numbers of men and women,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2192 the study was a collaborative effort among 9 scientists across 5 universities in the US and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe were surprised to find that people who followed an 8-hour eating schedule were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though this type of diet has been popular due to its potential short-term benefits, our research clearly shows that a shorter eating duration was not associated with living longer,\u201d shared senior study author Victor Wenze Zhong, PhD, a professor and chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study didn\u2019t limit its scope to just the 16:8 diet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also examined other fasting schedules. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, an eating window of 8-10 hours was linked to a 25% higher risk<\/strong> of heart-related death \u2014 jumping to 66% <\/strong>for heart patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let\u2019s sum up what this new study means for those who want to lose weight through any time-restricted diet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While intermittent fasting can give you some short-term weight loss results, in the long run, you\u2019re exposing yourself to an almost 2 times higher risk of death from heart disease or stroke.<\/strong>

If you already have some cardiovascular issues, the risk can go up to as high as 3 times<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother thing about fasting is that it may not be the most efficient way to lose weight, actually,\u201d adds Dr. Alexander Ford, a clinical research scientist specializing in diet and metabolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to that, Dr. Alexander Ford, a clinical research scientist specializing in diet and metabolism, points out an intriguing alternative perspective: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFasting might not be the most effective method for weight loss, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The paradox of fasting (and what may help instead)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fasting may be a bit counterintuitive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first glance, it looks reasonable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t eat \u2192 you lose weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But our bodies are one of the most complex systems in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the truth is that skipping meals or drastically reducing your calorie intake can make it harder to lose weight in the long run.<\/strong> 2<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is because when you skip meals, your body goes into a state of preservation, increasing fat-storing enzymes and decreasing metabolism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that when you eat, your body may store more calories as fat<\/strong> instead of using them for energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply because it\u2019s afraid it will be in deficit again, so it\u2019s better to have more \u2018savings\u2019 for that case,\u201d explains Dr. Ford.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This can lead to weight gain<\/strong>, even if you are consuming fewer calories overall. 3<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, skipping meals can lead to an increase in hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, which can increase your appetite and cause you to overeat when you do eat. 4<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why while fasting might seem like a quick fix, it can actually complicate your weight management efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When talking about efficient weight loss strategies, Dr. Alexander Ford underlines that it\u2019s more important to take into account your own comfort rather than solution effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDozens of studies we\u2019ve done show that it\u2019s possible to lose weight in many different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Various diets, exercising, lifestyle changes \u2014 any of it may work for someone looking to shed some pounds. 5<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then there are problems and inconveniences<\/strong> that come with each solution and drag people off the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that\u2019s what you should target in the first place,\u201d concludes Dr. Alexander Ford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, a group of experts found a way to make weight loss easy and enjoyable for anyone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To tackle the challenges of classic weight loss solutions, a group of dietitians, coaches, and clinical nutritionists ran a big survey in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, they identified key weight management challenges people have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s where it gets intriguing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It turns out that common weight loss solutions often overlook the real struggles people face<\/strong>, making them quit before getting the desired results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or even if they do help, they don\u2019t show how to maintain those results. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Addressing these gaps, the team developed strategies to overcome these obstacles<\/strong>, using what they call a \u201crather than\u201d approach. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n