Does fasting duration influence body composition outcomes? 🧐
Fasting in this case = no calories.
Duration-Dependent Changes in Body Composition During Prolonged Fasting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Study Details
This new meta-analysis compiled data from 49 studies (1216 participants) to establish the effects of fasting duration on body composition (including fat loss and fat free mass) 🔍
Fasting protocols included…
💧 Water-only fasting
🍽️ Complete food deprivation
☕️ Black coffee fasting
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
Fasting duration was classified into either…
⏳ Chronic (>3 days)
⏱️ Short-term (≤ 3 days)
Overall fasting led to significant reductions in…
⚖️ Bodyweight
📐 BMI
🩻 Fat mass
💪 Fat free mass
💧 Total body water
📏 Waist circumference
Bodyweight reductions were greater in…
👉 obese vs healthy participants
👉 interventions lasting >3 days
There were no significant duration-response relationships for…
❌ BMI
❌ Fat mass
❌ Fat-free mass
…although a non-significant trend toward greater bodyweight reduction with longer fasting duration was observed 📉
Conclusion
Fasting-induced weight loss reflects complex changes in body composition rather than isolated fat loss 🩻
Duration may have effects on total bodyweight loss, but may also come at the expense of fat free mass ⚠️
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42440276/
Performance Nutrition Digest is powered by Healthspan Elite ⚡️
Healthspan Elite is a science-led sports nutrition range developed in collaboration with leading experts to support athletic performance, recovery, and health.
Use code: TCDIGEST25 for 25% off at https://www.healthspanelite.co.uk/ 💪