Intermittent fasting like safe and equivalent outcomes overall to standard dieting.

For years, dieters struggled to lose weight. For most, weight loss is a constant struggle to maintain moderation. Some look to faster methods of weight loss such as fasting, ketogenic, and high-protein Adkins type diets. Many medical professionals in weight loss experts question the use of said diets because of concern for safety. I have written prior articles on this topic such as Research: Intermittent fasting is safe and effective, Research: Intermittent Fasting Works, and Research: Fasting may prevent disease while it lowers your weight. All prior articles appear to confirm the safety and efficacy of intermittent fasting.

Another pilot study was released in late 2018 that appears to confirm once again the safety of intermittent fasting​[1]​. In this study, researchers placed overweight and obese diabetics on a severe energy restriction or intermittent fasting. The intermittent fasting included two 24 hour periods of fasting with five days of eating. The continuous dieting included a moderate energy restriction that was decreased by 30% relative to the quark needs for maintenance. Both groups were placed on the restrictions 12 weeks.

The results of this study revealed no adverse outcomes and body weight was reduced from the baseline of both groups. In the study, both groups essentially lost the same amount of weight and truncal body fat. The weight loss was medically significant (over 5%) but there was no significant difference between the groups.

The bottom line: The result suggests that both intermittent fasting or continuous energy restriction are safe and effective weight loss, but the number involved in the study was exceedingly small with only 10 total patients. based upon the study in prior studies, I cannot recommend one diet over another. I personally found intermittent fasting to be difficult to maintain and I became quite HANGRY. If you can lose weight and maintain weight loss, intermittent fasting may be an option.