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Intermittent fasting - Dr Jason Fung

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  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    edited October 2018
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    I am waiting for anvilhead to post. He has a real hard on for this guy. Personal? Lol

    Not personal, I just despise quacks who prostitute themselves and their profession in the name of profit. And Fung is a quack of the highest order. In that regard, I put him on the same level as Taubes (who's not even a doctor, he's a journalist), Dr. Oz, Mercola, and "Doctor" Berg (the quack chiropractor who has been fined and censured by the medical board in his state and ordered to stop dispensing woo). To me, they're like the Howard Sterns of the diet world - they know there's plenty of profit in being controversial and going against the mainstream, even if what they're peddling is complete crap.

    We can start here with a scientific debunking of Fung's nonsense: https://www.myoleanfitness.com/evidence-caloric-restriction/

    And we can go much deeper into the actual scientific truth about insulin here: https://weightology.net/insulin-an-undeserved-bad-reputation/

    Love your post man! Kind of funny, one of the signs of type 2 dm, is WEIGHTLOSS! Many t2dm's gain weight when they start insulin therapy. Not because of insulin directly, but because the body can now use the blood sugar in the body better. They gain because they are in a calorie surplus. Actually, that's one of the reasons I found out I am a type 2 meself! I started dropping weight, both fat and muscle mass. My body could not use my carbs for energy. Basically, went into ketosis without knowing.

    **edit** We see many untreated type2 dm patients become Hyperphagic. Why? Then again, they are starving! Do I believe there might be an application for time restrictions eating, not calling IF anymore, for treating type2? Maybe. Make sense to a lay person like me. The less time you can tax the pancreas, the better. We also know that people are far more sensitive to their insulin in the am after "fasting" overnight. More research is truly needed imho.

    **EDIT2** Kind of a strange thing. By being a type 2, it has pushed me into making "better" food choices. Sure I eat 40-45% carbs most days, but the choices are different. Higher veggies, some fruit, higher fiber higher protein foods in general. It stears me away from highly processed Hyperpalitable foods. Don't get me wrong i still indulge occassionally, but in general stick to a whole foods/flexible dietary style. It might actually help with maintenance. Who knows?
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    kgb6days wrote: »
    IF works for T2D and insulin resistant people. It also works for weight loss. I was stuck at a plateau for a month, weighing and logging everything and exercising regularly. MD I know talked me into trying IF - broke my plateau and reached my goal without problem while eating more calories over a weeks time. I do 5/2 (fast 2 days, eat 5). I have read his book - he is not a quack (remember the study data he included in his book). In fact the endocrinologist in the medical practice I go to uses IF for their insulin resistant patients with great success as well as the endocrinologist at the VA that I work at. There are a lot of opinions on here (opinions) - and it might not be for everyone - but there are studies to back up the claims. My husband cannot do it - he does better with HFLC (high fat low carb). Give it a try. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions

    if you do 5:2 which means 5 days of maintenance calories and 2 days of like 500 calories you are creating a deficit whether you realize that or not. Ive done IF all my life and I have gained weight,lost weight and now Im maintaining all still doing IF. I at one point stopped doing IF and was told eating breakfast would boost my metabolism. nope didnt lose any more fat or weight compared to fasting. no one is saying that IF doesnt work for insulin resistance. but you still need a deficit of calories to lose weight. IF works for weight loss IF you are in a deficit of calories, I am living proof that you can gain weight and maintain weight by fasting. all due to intake of calories.

    and a plateau is 6-8 weeks of no weight so did you go that long without any weight loss? you didnt lose weight eating more calories than you burned. you created a deficit. if you didnt eat at all those 5 days (which is not how 5:2 is normally done) that means you had NO calories for those 2 days and had calories the next 5 which means deficit. you may have ate more the 5 days but the 2 days with little to no calories means you were in deficit wich means weight loss happens.

    if you were in a true plateau and lost doing IF then you were eating more than you thought before you started if and eating less.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    rsclause wrote: »
    rsclause wrote: »
    I’m not understanding when the posters are saying he’s a quack. What is it about his claims you disagree with?

    It is the typical response to anyone who is a proponent of keto, LCHF or fasting. If they are an MD they are a quack. If they are a journalist that has spent years studying other studies any any flaws or basis they may have they are labeled a journalist that lacks an MD.

    Some of these doctors and journalists are very well educated and have spent years of study on this WOE. That doesn't mean they are right but we don't need to go very far back to find bad dietary advice given by other MD's dietitians and politicians. Disagree with research or bias or put forth an opinion that you feel is superior. To just throw a derogatory label on someone is a disservice to all. Okay @AnvilHead it's all yours.

    Nobody is being called a "quack" simply because they are a proponent of keto, LCHF, or fasting. That's reserved for people who use inflated claims to promote those ways of eating or people who are using it as a vehicle for a quick cash grab from people who are longing to lose weight or manage other health conditions.

    I did a quick check (I have watched some interviews but have not read his books) and most of what I could find on Dr. Fung is free. He does have paid or premium membership section of his site but I don't see a problem with that. He has written three books and I have no problem with that. So if he is making a "a cash grab" is this from a source that I have missed above? Not arguing but asking because I am curious.

    I wasn't accusing Dr. Fung of making a cash grab (although this does seem like it is generating some significant income for him). When I hear Fung being called a quack, it's usually related to the quality of the evidence he is using for his claims, his insistence that his way is the only true method for weight loss, or his argument that restricting calories won't result in weight loss.

    Fair enough. When I think of cash grab Dr. Berg is who comes to mind for me. Not saying he is bad or wrong but I get a kind of creepy vibe from him. There, hows that for a scientific approach to judging someones work!
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    rsclause wrote: »
    rsclause wrote: »
    I’m not understanding when the posters are saying he’s a quack. What is it about his claims you disagree with?

    It is the typical response to anyone who is a proponent of keto, LCHF or fasting. If they are an MD they are a quack. If they are a journalist that has spent years studying other studies any any flaws or basis they may have they are labeled a journalist that lacks an MD.

    Some of these doctors and journalists are very well educated and have spent years of study on this WOE. That doesn't mean they are right but we don't need to go very far back to find bad dietary advice given by other MD's dietitians and politicians. Disagree with research or bias or put forth an opinion that you feel is superior. To just throw a derogatory label on someone is a disservice to all. Okay @AnvilHead it's all yours.

    fung also said that one of his study subjects had an A1C of like 7+ and that with his diet this person could forgo insulin asap and he would be fine. he told the patient to cut the insulin cold turkey.That to me is asking for trouble. he also said that diabetes can be cured. it cant be cured because once you gain weight again and so on it can come back. people have and do lower their insulin and IR just by losing weight. insulin also has been shown to improve in a calorie deficit as well.

    he also states that using insulin makes your diabetes worse over time. hes made a lot of false claims he just needs to stick with being a nephrologist.

    The A1C 7+ story has to have more going on than what you have in one sentence I would hope but I will need to watch some of his videos to get a better idea. I would think bad advice would open up possible liability. The cured diabetes may not be the best term but to be fair would you call out a doctor that cured a patient of cancer because it may come back? I think the better term would be you can reverse diabetes with diet and it only stands to reason if a person takes up there old weight or lifestyle it would likely come back. I agree insulin should improve with any weight loss but I would give a slight edge to keto and LCHF due to the carb restriction and my bias toward keto. Either way I hope that someone who is pre diabetic or T2D will take some action to improve their numbers because it is a horrible road to go down. Anything that work I can support. My oldest Grandchild is a type 1 and I pray they can find a cure it at some point in his lifetime.

    there really isnt more to the story either. he thinks that his protocol cures many things,can help this or that and that people dont need insulin as insulin makes things worse. as for cancer you can go into remission and never get it again or it may come back 10x worse and give you an even shorter life span. Ive seen it happen with those that had cancer. it came back with a vengeance even though they were"cancer free" for years. and many here have lost weight and gotten off their insulin and many here do so with higher amounts of carbs. so no low carb/keto really doesnt have a slight edge. many here dont do keto and manage their diabetes quite well ingesting decent amounts of carbs.

    not to mention type 2 can also be genetic(no matter how you eat),caused from certain meds and so on. its not always based on weight and diet although that can be a precursor.with my health issue if I dont watch my diet,take my meds and exercise I can develop type 2 even at a healthier weight because of my gene defect. yet diabetes really doesnt run in my family. my aunt developed it in her 70s which happens with many elderly people (weight isnt always the reason).
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    Lately every article in my newsfeed involving IF couples it with keto - it's like the two things have somehow become intertwined to the point where one can't be discussed without the other. Not sure what the latest wave of woo out there is driving the train.
    It's become like Crossfit and paleo was a few years ago.

    The funny thing is that I get branded as being "anti-IF", and I've been doing it a lot longer than most of these new converts who are so feverish about it. It works for me to control my calorie intake - I just don't believe in all the magical fairy tales about it. Why can't good enough be good enough without having to be a quasi-religious miracle?

    Exactly!
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    Lately every article in my newsfeed involving IF couples it with keto - it's like the two things have somehow become intertwined to the point where one can't be discussed without the other. Not sure what the latest wave of woo out there is driving the train.
    It's become like Crossfit and paleo was a few years ago.

    The funny thing is that I get branded as being "anti-IF", and I've been doing it a lot longer than most of these new converts who are so feverish about it. It works for me to control my calorie intake - I just don't believe in all the magical fairy tales about it. Why can't good enough be good enough without having to be a quasi-religious miracle?

    Same. I've been breakfast skipping for years. I eat earlier than I used to, but I still have a pretty small eating window (6 hours). It just suits my appetite. I don't low carb.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    But he turned me into a newt!
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