Say what? There are at least 9 definitions of intermittent Fasting.
Posted on 08/23/2024 2:40:04 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Leptin levels, immune cell profiles improved in small study
Intermittent fasting -- defined as restricting food and drink to 500 calories a day, twice a week -- was safe and successful in a small randomized trial of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
The study met its primary outcome of reduced serum leptin levels after 12 weeks compared with controls, according to Laura Piccio, MD, PhD, of the University of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia, and co-authors.
Leptin, a proinflammatory adipokine that may have a pathogenic role in MS, was lower in the intermittent fasting group (P=0.03) after adjusting for age, sex, and disease-modifying therapy, Piccio and colleagues reported in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatryopens in a new tab or window.
No serious adverse events emerged. At 6 weeks, the intermittent fasting group had an increase in blood CD45RO+ regulatory T-cell numbers. In exploratory testing, the group also showed improvement at 12 weeks on the Symbol Digit Modality Test, a measure of cognitive processing speed.
The findings provide mechanistic insights and support the potential role of diet as an add-on lifestyle intervention, the researchers noted.
"Diet is a topic that interests many people with MS," Piccio told MedPage Today. "It is one of the main topics they want to discuss, especially at time of diagnosis to find a way to 'control' their disease."
However, there's not much evidence showing how different diets might influence MS disease development or progression, she pointed out.
"We show that 12 weeks on this diet -- which had a very high compliance, around 98% to 99% -- had a significant impact on several markers," Piccio said. "This shows that a relatively minor change in diet has an impact on the metabolic-immune-inflammatory profile of patients."
Leptin is an adipokine released by adipose tissue proportionally to body fat. Leptin levels are associated with MSopens in a new tab or window risk, are higher in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum of MS patients, and are inversely correlated with circulating regulatory T-cell numbers, the researchers noted.
Obesity early in life has been associated with an increased riskopens in a new tab or window of developing MS. In adult MS patients, obesity correlates with worse progressionopens in a new tab or window and disability.
Piccio and colleagues randomized 42 relapsing-remitting MS patients at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to intermittent calorie restriction or a control group from 2018 to 2021. A total of 34 patients, 17 in each group, completed the trialopens in a new tab or window.
Most participants were women. Mean baseline BMI was 28.7 and median Expanded Disability Status Scaleopens in a new tab or window (EDSS) score was 2. Patients were untreated or on disease-modifying therapy for at least 3 months. Initially, treatments that were allowed included only interferon-beta or glatiramer acetate (Copaxone); later, dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera), teriflunomide (Aubagio), and natalizumab (Tysabri) were permitted.
Participants in the intermittent calorie restriction group were instructed to limit their intake to 500 calories or less for 2 non-consecutive days a week. On fasting days, they could consume only non-starchy vegetables, plain or with oil (maximum 2 tablespoons/day), vinegar, lemon juice, and/or seasonings, and non-caloric drinks. On non-fasting days, they could have their usual diet but were asked to monitor portion sizes and food choices and not overeat.
Those in the control group continued with their regular diet and had unrestricted access to food, but were asked to eat 1 to 1.5 cups of vegetables daily so all participants could have similar vegetable consumption. In both groups, participants were asked to maintain their usual activity levels.
In the intermittent calorie restriction group, adherence to the 2 fasting days per week was 99.5% for the first 6 weeks of the study and 97.2% for the second 6 weeks. At weeks 6 and 12, these participants had an overall calorie reduction of 21.5% and 23.1%, compared with baseline.
No grade 3 or higher adverse events were seen in either group. Three participants in the intermittent calorie restriction group reported mild symptoms like headache, lightheadedness, and tiredness on fasting days.
Limitations included the study's small sample size and short duration. The ongoing FOOD for MSopens in a new tab or window trial is larger and longer, and is evaluating not only reduced calorie intake but diet quality in people with MS, Piccio noted. It will assess functional outcomes, cognition, MRI data, and other measures.
"We do not propose diet as a cure-therapy for MS," Piccio said. "There are some effective medications, but diet could work in synergy with these current medications. Also, following a correct diet could be a way to prevent the disease -- in general, autoimmune diseases -- from developing."
Judy George covers neurology and neuroscience news for MedPage Today, writing about brain aging, Alzheimer’s, dementia, MS, rare diseases, epilepsy, autism, headache, stroke, Parkinson’s, ALS, concussion, CTE, sleep, pain, and more. Follow
Diet? DIET??? With the all-you-can-eat buffet down the road? No ice cream at night? Skipping meals is like skipping rope. Not gonna happen. I’m getting the shakes just thinking about it. Unless that’s from the heat, not having a drink in the last two hours, heroin being depleted, or anything else I’m running out of. Next they’ll want me to exercise and you know how much I hate exercise.
Say what? There are at least 9 definitions of intermittent Fasting.
I’m partial to both 17 and 7, so I like the 17:7 plan 😊
My lifelong preference is to eat two meals a day. Late breakfast and dinner 8 hours later. That’s almost what’s recommended here.
500 calories a day? I’d fade away to nothing, only weigh 112 now.
I’m on the 5:2 plan.
I fast 2 days a week usually Monday and Thursday. Eat normally the other 5. Usually one meal only. Sometimes more than that.
I’ve lost 40 pounds since I started last October. Intermittent Fasting works.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.