Brain–Gut–Microbiome Interactions and Intermittent Fasting in Obesity

Health Benefits of Islamic Intermittent Fasting

Background & Objective:  Islamic fasting is observed by millions of Muslims across the world during the holy month of Ramadan and other specific  days of the lunar year. Fasting  Muslims  abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset. Depending on season and geographical location, Muslims  maintain fasting for approximately 13-18 hours per day. The present study aimed to review the be...

Cardioprotective Effects of Intermittent Fasting

Calorie restriction, a dietary regimen reducing energy intake without causing malnutrition, prolongs lifespan and exerts medical and health benefits such as lowering metabolic risk factors for chronic diseases and ameliorating chronic conditions. Intermittent fasting (IF), a type of calorie restriction regimen, has attracted particular attention as it is cost-effective and more accessible while...

Cardioprotection by intermittent fasting in rats.

BACKGROUND Intermittent fasting (IF), a dietary regimen in which food is available only every other day, increases the life span and reduces the incidence of age-associated diseases in rodents. We have reported neuroprotective effects of IF against ischemic injury of the brain. In this study, we examined the effects of IF on ischemic injury of the heart in rats. METHODS AND RESULTS After 3 mo...

Intermittent Fasting Promotes White Adipose Browning and Decreases Obesity by Shaping the Gut Microbiota.

While activation of beige thermogenesis is a promising approach for treatment of obesity-associated diseases, there are currently no known pharmacological means of inducing beiging in humans. Intermittent fasting is an effective and natural strategy for weight control, but the mechanism for its efficacy is poorly understood. Here, we show that an every-other-day fasting (EODF) regimen selective...

Fasting during Ramadan and obesity.