Previous studies have suggested that fasting could lead to weight gain, but new research claims that periodically adopting a diet that mimics the effects of fasting may help people lose abdominal fat and live longer.
Researchers at the University of Southern California found that cycles of a four-day low-protein, low-calorie diet that's high in healthy fats may yield a wide range of health benefits, including the reduction of visceral belly fat, and a drop in the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and cancer, Fox News reported.
"Strict fasting is hard for people to stick to, and it can also be dangerous, so we developed a complex diet that triggers the same effects in the body," Valter Longo, researcher and director of the USC Longevity Institute, said in a statement. "I've personally tried both, and the fasting mimicking diet is a lot easier and also a lot safer."
For the study, researchers recruited 34 people and had 19 of them test the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) while the rest of the group was put on a regular diet, The Times Gazette reported.
They found that the FMD reduced people's caloric intake by 34 or 54 percent, with a specific composition of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and micronutrients. It also slowed aging, and reduced risk factors linked to heart disease and diabetes with no major adverse side effects.
Longo said that for most people, the FMD can be done every three to six months depending on body mass index and health status.
Despite its positive effects, Longo cautioned against attempting the fasting mimicking diet without first consulting a doctor and seeking their supervision throughout the process.
"Not everyone is healthy enough to fast for five days, and the health consequences can be severe for a few who do it improperly," he explained.
The findings are detailed in the journal Cell Metabolism.
