Intermittent fasting may lead to higher risk of cardiovascular death, study says

A new study suggests that intermittent fasting may radically increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

The study by researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China looked at intermittent fasting, a popular eating pattern that involves alternating between fasting and eating.

Past research has shown that this eating pattern can help people lose weight and lower blood pressure, but this study found that people who restricted eating to less than eight hours a day had a 91 percent increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease over eight years compared with those who compared to people who ate within 12 to 16 hours.

The analysis presented Monday at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions in Chicago was based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal. Collected between 2003 and 2018.

The researchers analyzed the responses of about 20,000 adults, recording their diet for at least two days, and then looked at who died from cardiovascular disease after an eight-year follow-up period.

The analysis also found that people with heart disease or cancer had an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and that among people with cardiovascular disease, eating between 8 and 10 hours a day had a 66 percent increased risk of death from heart disease or cancer. Stroke.

The researchers added that their analysis showed that time-restricted eating “did not reduce the overall risk of death from any cause” and that eating for more than 16 hours a day was associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality in patients with cancer.

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Wenze Zhong, the study’s senior author, said the findings were “surprising,” adding: “We had expected that long-term adoption of an eight-hour time-restricted diet would reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and even all-cause death.

“We were surprised to find that people who followed an eight-hour, time-restricted eating plan were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Although this type of eating is popular for its potential short-term benefits, our study clearly shows that , compared with the typical eating window range of 12-16 hours per day, shorter eating periods were not associated with increased lifespan.

“It is critical for patients, especially those with heart disease or cancer, to understand the association between the eight-hour eating window and an increased risk of cardiovascular death.

“Our findings encourage a more careful, personalized approach to dietary recommendations, ensuring they are consistent with an individual’s health status and the latest scientific evidence.”

Research leaders admit more research is needed

The researchers acknowledged that the study had limitations, including its reliance on self-reported dietary information, which they said “may be affected by participants’ memory or recall and may not accurately assess typical eating patterns.”

They added: “Factors that may have an impact on health other than daily eating times and causes of death were also not included in the analysis.”

Dr. Chung added that it’s too early to make specific recommendations about intermittent fasting based solely on his research, but that people should be “extremely cautious” about long-term fasting patterns.

He said it’s unclear why his study found an association between time-restricted eating and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

He did speculate that people who eat less than eight hours a day may have less lean muscle mass than those who eat 12 to 16 hours a day. Low lean muscle mass is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death.

Dr Pam Taub, a cardiologist at UC San Diego Health, told Sky News’ US partner NBC News: “This was a retrospective study looking at two days of data and from a very limited snapshot of an individual’s lifestyle. Some very important conclusions were drawn. Habits.”

She added that her patients have seen “incredible benefits” from the fasting regimen, before concluding: “I will continue to do it. For people who do intermittent fasting, their personal results it goes without saying.

“Most people who do intermittent fasting, the reason they continue fasting is they see weight loss. They see blood pressure go down. They see LDL cholesterol improve.”