- Time-restricted eating involves eating all meals and snacks within an 8-12 hour window and no calories outside of that window.
- Potential benefits include boosting metabolism, encouraging weight loss, and reducing the risk of several health conditions.
- Now, a small study is showing that restricting eating at any time of the day to an eight-hour window may help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Time-restricted eating (TRE), with intermittent fasting being one of its most popular methods, is becoming increasingly popular as a means of weight management.
The most common method involves only eating for 8-12 hours a day, fasting the rest of the time and drinking only water and calorie-free beverages.
Previous research TRE has been suggested to have several health benefits, including:
- It can lead to weight loss, especially in people who are overweight or obese.
- Improves blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, potentially lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Improved cognitive function
- Improves sleep quality
- Anti-aging and anti-cancer effects
- Improved insulin sensitivity.
The study, which has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, was carried out by researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University and Newcastle University in the UK.
Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani“These people are going to have to go to hospital,” said a public health professor at New Mexico State University who was not involved in the study. Today's Medical News that:
“On the surface, the findings seem intriguing and consistent with other studies. One possible mechanism of action is that TRE reduces blood glucose fluctuations and may increase insulin sensitivity following several hours of nutrient deprivation. Recent Reviews This is consistent with these findings.”
The researchers recruited 15 people into a randomized crossover study. The average was 9 women and 6 men. Body Mass Index (BMI) The 28-year-olds were overweight, had a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and an average age of 52, putting them at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Participants alternated between three days of a normal diet with at least 14 hours of eating time per day, three days of early TRE, where they ate only from 8 am to 4 pm, and three days of late TRE, where they ate only from noon to 8 pm. During TRE, participants fasted for 16 hours each day.
The researchers designed a eucalorie diet for participants to match energy intake with energy expenditure during the TRE period, and participants were allowed to eat normally on their usual eating days. The eucalorie diet consisted of 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 20% protein.
All participants wore continuous glucose monitors to assess how much time per day they spent with normal blood glucose concentrations (3.9-7.8 millimoles per liter (mmol/l)).
Compared to habitual eating, early and late TRE increased the time blood glucose levels were in the normal range by an average of 3.3%. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
“Our study found that restricting food to an eight-hour daily window significantly improved the daily time spent within the normal blood glucose range and reduced blood glucose fluctuations. However, changing the eight-hour food restriction window to earlier or later in the day did not appear to provide any additional benefits.”
While Khubchandani acknowledged that the results were encouraging, he expressed concerns about the study, saying: MNT “It is unclear whether such a small sample size can capture the diversity of people at risk for diabetes around the world.”
He also questioned whether the effects of the study were actually due to TRE, asking: “Could TRE sometimes lead to a decrease in calorie consumption?”
Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with overweight and obesity. Diabetes UKOverweight and obesity account for up to 85% of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with a BMI of 22 or less.
Therefore, if overweight or obese people find TRE to be an effective way to lose weight, it could help reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
But Khubchandani said: Larger studies It doesn't show the same benefits as this small study.
Bowden-Davis acknowledged that this is a preliminary study and more research is needed to determine whether TRE works for some people, saying:
“While many people find calorie counting difficult to sustain in the long term, our study suggests that watching the clock, regardless of the eight-hour eating window, may be a simple way to improve blood sugar control in people at risk of type 2 diabetes, although larger studies and longer-term investigations are warranted.”
As well as the potential benefits shown in this study, there may be drawbacks to TRE for some people.
One Preliminary investigation A study of over 20,000 adults conducted by the American Heart Association found that those who followed an eight-hour TRE schedule had a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who followed a standard 12- to 16-hour eating schedule, and did not experience any increased life expectancy.
The study authors suggest that while TRE may be effective in the short term, it could have adverse effects in the long term.
Older adults, those who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive, and those with low blood pressure or taking medication for blood pressure or heart disease should also consult a medical professional before considering intermittent fasting.
“Given the uncertainty, people at risk of diabetes should consult a qualified physician, and the general public should regularly test their blood glucose levels. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and diabetes prevention should be more individualized.”
– Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani