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Health Benefits of Fasting and Caloric Restriction

  • Lifestyle Management to Reduce Diabetes/Cardiovascular Risk (B Conway and H Keenan, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Obesity and obesity-related diseases, largely resulting from urbanization and behavioral changes, are now of global importance. Energy restriction, though, is associated with health improvements and increased longevity. We review some important mechanisms related to calorie limitation aimed at controlling of metabolic diseases, particularly diabetes.

Recent Findings

Calorie restriction triggers a complex series of intricate events, including activation of cellular stress response elements, improved autophagy, modification of apoptosis, and alteration in hormonal balance. Intermittent fasting is not only more acceptable to patients, but it also prevents some of the adverse effects of chronic calorie restriction, especially malnutrition.

Summary

There are many somatic and potentially psychologic benefits of fasting or intermittent calorie restriction. However, some behavioral modifications related to abstinence of binge eating following a fasting period are crucial in maintaining the desired favorable outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 2176 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    Saeid Golbidi & Ismail Laher

  2. Center of Cardiology, Cardiology 1, Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany

    Andreas Daiber

  3. Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Bato Korac

  4. Department of Pharmacology, Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany

    Huige Li

  5. Department of Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    M. Faadiel Essop

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  1. Saeid Golbidi
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  2. Andreas Daiber
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  3. Bato Korac
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  4. Huige Li
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  5. M. Faadiel Essop
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  6. Ismail Laher
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Correspondence to Ismail Laher.

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Saeid Golbidi, Andreas Daiber, Bato Korac, Huige Li, M. Faadiel Essop, and Ismail Laher declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lifestyle Management to Reduce Diabetes/Cardiovascular Risk

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Golbidi, S., Daiber, A., Korac, B. et al. Health Benefits of Fasting and Caloric Restriction. Curr Diab Rep 17, 123 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-017-0951-7

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