Any thoughts on this study?

lorib642

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34135111/

You may have seen it referenced in the main forums. The study showed less energy expenditure and more lean mass loss in alternate day fasting compared to non fasting lean adults same caloric restriction

I am trying to lose weight but have stalled. I have started 14:10 fasting ( more like no snacking after dinner). Should I be concerned. I have planned to add some hand weight exercises. I was under the impression that when insulin decreased you can burn fat. But in the study while they were fasting they burned muscle

rjason1986

This is for lean adults. We are not lean.

So from what I gather is that alternate day fasting along with a energy restriction(eating less) on non fasting days was effective. No fasting while using energy restriction was effective. However, alternate day fasting with no energy restriction did next to nothing. Also, I can not find in the study were it states muscle loss. It says "Daily energy restriction (75:75) reduced body mass (-1.91 ± 0.99 kilograms) almost entirely due to fat loss (-1.75 ± 0.79 kilograms)."

While muscles may deflate because you are losing some water the last two things your body will do is burn your muscles for energy and stop brain function. I read the study over and over again. I did not find a single instance of loss of muscle. Body mass over all is everything. Bones, muscle, water, fat. the key part in it is " almost entirely due to fat loss". I would take a guess that the rest was water weight.

What the study failed to mention is what the Average BFP of the groups were. They state lean. So....5%? 6? 10? If you have next to no body fat your body WILL burn muscle on extended fasts because you have little to no fat stores to burn off.

You shouldn't be concerned. Whoever said those lean people burned "muscle" didn't understand the study. So ADF with calorie restriction caused the groups to lose weight almost entirely from fat. While the ADF group with NO RESTRICTION (probably eating crap too) had next to no weight loss. Which makes sense. They are staying neutral basically.

Also, adding in resistance training/cardio while fasting will help burn additional calories increasing fat loss. However, the study says that there were no "fasting-specific effects on metabolic regulation or cardiovascular health." This study was only 3 weeks long. So it was by no means an extensive or long term study on the effects of ADF.

In conclusion. Doing ADF along with Calorie restriction will help you lose weight. If you continue to eat the same amount on your non-fasting days(in your case during your 10 hour eating window) the weight loss will be next to 0.
Alternatively you can increase your IF to 16/8, 20/4(which is basically OMAD) or start incorporating a 24 hour fast once or twice a week. So eat dinner and then not eat until dinner the next day but you should talk to your doctor about incorporating a 24 hour fast and also ask them about doing KETO or Carnivore.

rjason1986

Also, I forgot to mention. That your body will adapt and adjust to the new lower calorie intake over time and make that your new normal. I think its called Thermogenesis I could be wrong. So Calorie in vs Calorie out will stop working over time since your body adjusts and makes the new lower calorie intake (going from 2000 calories a day to 1500) your new normal intake thus stopping weight loss because your body now regulates itself on 1500 calories instead of 2000. Look up Dr. Jason Fung on YouTube. He goes into much more detail on this.

lorib642

Hi, thanks. I can only see abstract, the fasting calorie restricted group lost same weight but less fat. Isn’t the that lean mass,I want to lose fat of course.

Do you have any references besides Fung. I have seen a few of his videos, but would like to see other experts. This was a short study. I think 3 or 4 weeks, so it is hard to know what happens long term

rjason1986

https://www.youtube.com/c/drekberg Dr. Ekberg.

A reduction in your Body Mass happens as you lose weight overall. BMI is your weight in pounds divided by your height in inches squared, then multiplied by 703. It's a rough indicator of how much fat mass you have. The calculation can be affected by Age, Race, Sex and Muscle Mass. Which is why Dwayne Johnson(The Rock) and other athletes are considered Obese even though he is all muscle and extremely fit.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EQmzNgX9oc

here is an overview video on the last 100 years of fasting and new research. I haven't watched it yet but I'm interested in what they have to say, so I saved it and will be watching it as soon as I can.

Rhiannonmueller5599

At this point I could care less. At over 45 yrs 220 and 5'3", I'm more concerned with health benefits and getting the weight off of my body. With OMAD, bloat gone, pressure in my chest and neck and head gone after eating, heat feeling gone. Ill worry about lean muscle mass issues if and when I need to. I'm not arnold lifting - I don't think I'm going to sweat it.