5:2 may be more effective for men and possibly dangerous for women?

Sadi_Kalen

hi all,

have been doing 5:2 for around 10 weeks or so now and the last month haz been considerably difficult due to the fact that i seem to be maintaining steadily at 65 kg and not losing much of anything, despite a few obvious shape changes - did get the scale down to 63.5 after my second fast day 3 weeks ago but it's back up to 65 and hazn't moved down again since. i have PCOS (diagnosed) and it waz a miracle that weight loss even started happening for me with calorie restriction but it stalled for me at 1400 cals per day and i waz getting bored, tired, cranky and frustrated with being so strict. i thought 5:2 sounded like the perfect solution for someone like me but, i'm starting to find many articles online that are stating quite emphatically (some include links to studies) that women do NOT benefit from long-term IF dieting and that it can actually be harmful to females' reproductive systems and long term insulin response. this is a major concern for someone like me. i have worked hard since July to lose this excess weight and although i'm not diabetic or have any bad fasting glucose levels (pre-dieting) i will be very upset if this way of eating actually CAUSES insulin resistance to elevate for me.

please don't attack me for bringing this up or treat it like a troll post. it truly isn't. i'm concerned about what i'm reading and despite all the positive benefits i've gained from this woe i have also had a return to some very negative side-effects that i had previously remedied with simple calorie restriction - irregular cycles (they've stopped yet again), headaches, gas, bloating (despite lowering carb intake) and after all these weeks i am still finding it difficult not to overeat on non-fast days. i stopped losing weight at least a month ago and have had to lower my TDEE to sedentary levels, despite continuing to exercise to prevent gaining. i have also had to decrease the exercise due to my energy levels dropping and before i started 5:2 i waz able to take a nice long, 45-minute walk without discomfort - since being on 5:2 it doesn't matter whether i drink water or coffee or don't drink anything at all in the hours before exercise, i have had a return to bladder issues with a vengeance. this is interferring with my enjoyment of exercise. i feel frustrated with this lack of progress and it's starting to make little sense fasting for two days out of every week when i am still having to heavily restrict what i eat on feeding days.

these are a few articles i discovered while researching the effects of 5:2 eating for women with PCOS:

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/373665/Caveman-fasting-diet-may-leave-women-diabetic

http://paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/

i'm not wanting to quit doing this, but i'm concerned this may be worse for me in the long run than simple calorie restriction. is anyone else here with PCOS struggling to keep weight loss going with this woe? considering i've had a return to the medical issues that caused me to need help with changing my lifestyle i'm wondering if i need to try something else.

dorisopen9

I am always glad that neither my insulin nor my pancreas can read ... Have you noticed that the people criticising intermittent fasting never quote any research that supports their view? A "research" study that tracks eight women for three weeks? Please, anyone with the slightest knowledge of statistics is going to pee themselves laughing at the validity of such a study. This MFP group is a better study, and will demonstrate the opposite.

There are plenty of female fasters who experience good results and very positive responses. Diabetes is better controlled, cholesterol and blood pressure go down, all the benefits these nay sayers claim to be elusive for women. I had some personal communication with a doctor treating male and female diabetics and asked him about this point (I am diabetic and my HbA1c returned to nearly normal with 6 months of IF). His answer was that he had not notice any difference between male and female patients when it comes to the success of the treatment, and was not aware of serious studies supporting this claim.

jknight001

I agree with dorisopen9. One needs to consider the source and the validity of the studies. Certainly the paleo website will have their own perspective since they are their own eating lifestyle.

Since you have concern in reference to your PCOS, talk to your gynecologist about fasting. He/she may not recommend fasting with PCOS.

snaps27

When I see article like this...first, of course, you must consider how the study was conducted... when I embarked on my Phd study...the method used to conduct the research and the validity of the research is very important. The small amount of people used for the study could not represent a larger population. All statistics are subjective to a certain extent because the whole population can not be included. And besides everyone is different; tolerating different things or medical conditions that must be taken into account. I don't know much about your condition so I can not comment on that. But I do know that we should listen to our bodies.

Congratulations on making it to a healthy weight though. 65kg or 142 lbs is a great weigh (a weight I aspire towards and probably where I personally will end my weight-loss journey). In my own opinion...my own...Women don't need to be supper tiny... and I know I have read somewhere that when women are at a smaller weight our cycles become further apart (and more frequent/closer together when we are larger).

Again when I see article like those I just think that they are from the big weight-loss companies out there...remember it is a billion dollar industry...and they don't want all the women out there to stop buying into their claims. If all women find out the 5:2 really works then they will lose everything because with 5:2 it's free! I thinks it's just a scare tactic.

However, on a personal level...because again everyone is different...you must do what right for you.

flumi_f

This has been discussed and published a few times. No one really knows, what is true. So I decided to go by my own experience.

I entered my healthy BMI range after 9mth on 5:2 for the first time in my life. I continued to fast, lost another few kilos. I lost 29kg in a year of 5:2 and have now maintained for 6mth with the help of 5:2. I still have 3kg to lose. I was pretty healthy and fit despite being overweight all of my life, but since getting my weight down all of my values and blood work are perfect. I have had absolutely no negative effects on my health. Haven't even had a cold or flu since I started fasting.

Some also state it can screw up a woman's hormonal cycle, thus it is not recommended if you are trying to get pregnant.

I'm 45, no interest in getting pregnant. From May 2013 (began 5:2)-Jan 2014 my cycle was perfect. Jan-March it shifted, came after 5 weeks, came after 3 weeks, etc. Since April no period. I notice some hormonal changes during the month, but no bleeding. If this is due to menopause, fasting or the weightloss in general is very hard to say. If that was my menopause, super, because I had absolutely no negative symptoms.

I'm not an expert on PCOS at all, but shouldn't that get better with weightloss? Also at 65kg you probably aren't that overweight, so slow losses are pretty normal in my opinion.

There is alot of downtalking on this way of eating. If 5:2 works for you and you feel healthy, stick to it. It really doesn't agree with everyone, just as any way of eating or weight reduction. It is however by far the best thing, I've ever done.