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Alternate Day Fasting Effects on Obesity and Diabetes

In a 2007 study by Krista A Varady et. al., mice were placed on alternate day fasting regimes, with caloric restriction. A control group was fed daily, with 100% of the normal food. Others ate normally on alternate days, but on fast days had only 50% of their normal diet(ADF-50%), while others received no food at all on the fast days ADF-100%).

Note that the caloric restriction occurred only on alternate days, so in effect the non-control mice were eating 75% (ADF-50%) and 50% (ADF-100%) of their normal diets. Both showed reduced size of under-skin fat cells, but the fast did not affect abdominal fat cells. While the total body weight of ADF-100% mice was lower than the others, the ADF-50% were not significantly lighter than the control mice. Measurement of triglyceride metabolism showed beneficial effects on both ADF-50% and ADF-100% samples.

The report concluded then that modified alternate day fasting (ADF-50%) has protective effects against type II diabetes, and may protect against obesity, though will not lead to weight loss below the normal body-weight.

Citation:
Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 48, 2212-2219, October 2007. Effects of modified alternate-day fasting regimens on adipocyte size, triglyceride metabolism, and plasma adiponectin levels in mice. By K. A. Varady, D. J. Roohk, Y. C. Loe, B. K. McEvoy-Hein and M. K. Hellerstein.