“IF” or “Intermittent Fasting” or what we often simply call “fasting” or “doing IF”, is currently a very popular trend. Doing “IF” means fasting during certain periods to help reduce weight, control weight, and shape the body as desired. However, many people still debate whether IF is truly beneficial or if it is dangerous. Today, we bring you some good medical facts to confirm that fasting in the form of “Intermittent Fasting” is indeed beneficial! It not only helps achieve the desired body shape but also positively affects the heart and overall health.
Why does fasting have positive effects on the body?
Medical research has long studied the effects of “fasting” on health, starting with animal studies before moving on to human research. The results consistently show that when we eat within a 6-8 hour window and fast for 16-18 hours daily, it can lead to a longer and healthier life. When fasting for more than 10 hours, the body enters a state of sugar deficiency, causing it to draw energy from stored sources, mostly fat. Using stored fat produces “ketones”, which provide better energy than “glucose”. This helps the body conserve energy, reduce inflammation, improve antioxidant resistance, and promote the removal of damaged cells. Ketones also help the brain feel full faster, reducing hunger.
Simply put, timed fasting puts the body into fat-burning mode, increasing endurance. It trains cells to better withstand stress and illness. This is why fasting was initially used in obese patients, showing results such as weight loss, improved diabetes, better heart health, improved blood pressure, and overall stronger health in many aspects.
How is IF good for the “heart”?
Specifically for the “heart,” “doing IF” is an effective way to care for and protect oneself from heart disease for the following reasons:
- It improves Heart Rate Variability, which means a better autonomic nervous system that controls heartbeats well, helping the heart tolerate ischemia better and reducing the risk of heart failure.
- Fasting strengthens the body and increases endurance, which reduces the workload on the heart and lowers the chance of heart failure.
In summary, “Intermittent Fasting” helps prevent the “causes” of various heart diseases. It also helps balance the body, lowers blood sugar levels, reduces blood lipids, and improves blood pressure—all factors that benefit the heart and strengthen heart health.
How to do IF safely and effectively?
“Fasting” is truly beneficial only when done correctly. There are various forms of “Intermittent Fasting”, but the three most popular methods are as follows, which can be adapted according to individual lifestyle and capability:
- Alternate Fasting
This method is called “eat one day, fast one day,” alternating days. On eating days, you eat normally; on fasting days, you eat within a 6-8 hour window and fast for 10-16 hours. This alternates continuously.
- Daily consistent fasting
This is the most popular method and has been shown by research to be effective. It involves eating within 6-8 hours and fasting for 10-16 hours every day. This is more challenging than the first method, so if you cannot manage this yet, start with the first method.
- 5:2 Method
This method focuses on eating low-calorie meals but not every day to avoid excessive fatigue. The most common approach is eating normally for 5 days and consuming low-calorie meals (about 500-1,000 calories) for 2 days. This method is more complex as it requires careful calorie counting, but the longer you maintain it, the greater the benefits.
Fasting does not harm the body if done correctly. Instead, it helps improve health by adjusting lifestyle habits to avoid overeating. However, “Intermittent Fasting” is not easy to succeed at because it requires high discipline and patience. Therefore, if you want to fast for health benefits, you must study and understand the method properly and commit fully. Consulting a specialist doctor is also advisable, especially for those with existing health conditions, to achieve the best results.
Dr. Jeerasak Sirithanyanont
Cardiologist
Heart Center, Phyathai 3 Hospital
