Intermittent Fasting – Learn About The Benefits And Myths

Do you know the benefits and myths that come with this specific practice? Intermittent fasting has gained immense popularity in recent years. It is used more and more often, although it is not a new practice. In this article, you will learn about its characteristics, real benefits and myths that are commonly reproduced. So it’s time to get to know intermittent fasting better !

Much of our eating behavior today depends largely on psychological, socio-cultural and educational factors.

Fasting is not something new, after all, it has accompanied us throughout the existence of our species. You most likely associate it with the religious dimension? Both Christians and followers of Islam or Judaism practice fasting in their everyday lives.

Intermittent fasting – what exactly is it?

Intermittent fasting, although popularly called diet, is not at all like it. There are several intermittent posts, the most famous of which are the ones: 16/8, 24 and 48, or even post 12/12. Let’s get acquainted with the characteristics of some of them.

Intermittent fasting – version 16/8

16/8 fasting consists of periods of 16 hours of fasting followed by periods of eating for 8 hours.

• This means that if (for example) the first meal is eaten at 2 p.m., the entire food requirement must be taken into account between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., i.e. for 8 hours.
• We then eat two meals. The next day, we will not eat until 16 hours after the last meal, i.e. again at 2:00 PM. 

Fasting for 24 and 48 hours

On the other hand, there are more radical forms of fasting: the 24-hour fast and the 48-hour fast . They are based on fasting for these indicated intervals, respectively.

Some people argue that it can lead to problems with hypoglycaemia, lack of energy and other unpleasant consequences. However, it is worth debunking this myth – our body will adapt to such a ritual very quickly . 

Think about it this way, while you sleep your body will carry out all the necessary processes and function without food. It is therefore a natural physiological state that our body can assimilate.

Fast intermittent fasting – 12/12

An international society would call intermittent fasting : Intermittent fasting (IF for short). It is characterized, just like in the aforementioned way, that is eating only at certain times. 

12/12 fasting is based on eating breakfast and dinner, 12 hours apart. For example, we have breakfast at 8:00 am, and dinner at 8:00 pm. As you can see, this is another possible strategy that is gaining popularity.

Intermittent fasting – health benefits

Intermittent fasting is said to have many benefits for our body. Among them we can mention the following:

• It extends life and delays the aging processes of the body, both external and internal.
• It reduces inflammation in the body.
• Maybe it contributes to the improvement of our lipid profile, i.e. cholesterol.
• It will also cope with reducing the amount of triglycerides. All of this has a positive effect on the plasticity of neurons in our body.
• It was found that it can slow down the growth of cancer cells.

• In terms of our figure – it helps to keep the body slim by eliminating fatty tissue.
• It also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin and allows you to use glucose as an energy substrate.
• First of all, it improves self-control.
• The processes of autophagy, i.e. the destruction of old worn-out cells, are intensified. The regeneration of the body is much more effective.

Many times we just feel hungry. However, this has nothing to do with true hunger. More like a false appetite. If we manage to overcome it – we will improve our self-control ability. This strength will be useful to us on every level of life.

Intermittent fasting – what are the myths about it?

There are many myths about the practice of intermittent fasting. One of the most common disclaimers is that these practices lead to muscle wasting. What exactly happens when you don’t eat for 24 hours?

The arguments against fasting are fairly standard and biased. That is why we decided to list the most important myths that appear in this context, which are far from the truth.

Myth 1: Muscle Loss

When your body uses up all the amino acids in your blood and stored glycogen, it starts to use up your protein reserves, which are your muscles.

A study of intermittent fasting in obese adults has shown that it is effective in losing weight and even increasing muscle mass.

Myth 2: It dramatically lowers blood sugar levels

The body is adapted to maintain the proper level of glucose in the blood. When you eat, you produce insulin, which stores excess glucose. When you fast, glucagon is produced to release the stored glucose.

Very often, eating for external blood glucose control is  not necessary. In fact, in people with insulin resistance, intermittent fasting helps restore sensitivity to a greater extent than conventional calorie restriction.

Myth 3: Intermittent fasting increases body weight

This is the most absurd slander against intermittent fasting. Numerous studies show that intermittent fasting helps with fat loss.

It is shown to be much better effective than the classic hypocaloric diets. Recent studies recognize fasting as an effective weight loss strategy. What speaks for this?

Suffice it to say that during fasting, our liver produces the so-called ketone bodies. They fuel the cells of our body. This is due to the activation of glucagon, a hormone antagonist to insulin. As we know, insulin is very often responsible for weight gain.

Moreover, during  fasting  , the level of growth hormone rises (up to 1,300% in women and 2,000% in men). Low levels of this hormone in the body lead to weight gain.

Summary

Justifying this mythology about fasting, i.e. a rigorous approach to the schedule of eaten meals, the most common talk is about hunger taking over our lives.

Self-control plays an important role here and we must ensure that the portions are adapted to the needs of our body.

Finally, we remind you that intermittent fasting is suitable for almost everyone. However, there will be special cases that will require a special approach. Each time it does not hurt us to consult a doctor before starting any of the modes.

First of all, remember that you should pay attention to the process of our body adapting to this new situation.

This stage lasts from a few to several days, naturally depending on the degree of insulin sensitivity – the weaker, the longer it will take. We recommend referring to experts in this field, e.g. to the literature of Dr. Dąbrowska and her methods of fasting.