Over the last decade… intermittent fasting has become a popular trend to boost our health.
An intermittent fast is an extended period of time where you choose not to eat…
In order to stimulate the organs in your body… including your brain
And there are many ways to fast!
You can do it every day by restricting your “eating window” to specific hours in the
day... or occasionally... by limiting your calorie
consumption every other day.
This is known as: - Time-restricted fasting
- And alternate-day fasting.
No matter what method you choose… if you’re watching this… you must be interested
in trying out fasting.
But it is important to note that not all methods of fasting work for everyone...
And the line between beneficial and detrimental when it comes to brain health can be very
thin.
So the question is… can intermittent fasting boost your brain?
Or actually damage it?
Keep watching to find out.
In this video…
We’re about to break down the pros and cons of intermittent fasting for brain health.
We will also explore which fasting method is best to experience benefits…
And which one you should avoid… depending on your health.
But before we get started…
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And now, let’s start by looking at…
The 3 Cons Of Intermittent Fasting For Brain Health With…
Number 3.
Intermittent fasting can trigger hunger and cravings
When you fast intermittently…
You are cutting… in one way or another… your food intake for a period of time.
And for people new to intermittent fasting…
This can come with side effects of hunger and cravings.
Hunger and cravings are messages from our gut and brain...
...Used to let us know that our body is depleted of nutrients and energy.
It can change our…
- Mood - Behavior….
- And our brain’s pathway.
Animal studies have observed that...
Hunger can block the innate flight response of a situation perceived as “dangerous”...
in order to eat.
They note that predators tend to hunt more dangerous prey when they’re close to starvation.
While there is little data showing what hunger can do to our brain’s pathway over time…
It is proven that intermittent fasting can lead to important hunger and cravings.
A study in 112 participants doing intermittent fasting found that…
Those who consumed a limited calorie count...
using the alternate-day fasting method...
Had higher hunger scores than those who did a time-restricted fast daily.
In short…
if you’re looking to try intermittent fasting to boost your brain…
Watch out for symptoms of hunger as they can trigger side effects.
That said…
It seems that starting with a small time-restricted fast can help you manage them.
Number 2.
Intermittent fasting can induce hypoglycemia Restricting our nourishment means that…
we let our body tap into any stored energy in order to keep going…
And this can cause our blood sugar levels to decrease.
Blood sugar is our body’s primary source of energy.
When its levels drop into hypoglycemia…
we can experience: - Irritability
- Anxiety - Poor concentration
- Headaches - And Fatigue.
Hypoglycemia pushes neurochemical changes to occur.
This can cause lesions to the hippocampus….
And in some cases...
permanent damage to the brain.
A review observed that… hypoglycemia causes brain-fuel deprivation… which increases
the risks of: - Seizure
- Brain damage - And brain failure.
But can this all be caused simply with intermittent fasting?
Perhaps.
A small study in healthy women found that…
Women were experiencing significant mood swings...
during an 18-hour fasting period…
than during a non-fast.
While studies on a larger scale are needed…
This suggests that intermittent fasting can most likely induce mild symptoms of hypoglycemia.
However…
Pre-existing health conditions and chronic disease also play a role... in how your body
responds to a fast.
It is essential to chat with a professional… and watch out for hypoglycemia…
If you decide to fast.
Number 1.
Intermittent fasting can lead to sleep disturbance When we change our eating pattern…
We can unknowingly modify our circadian rhythm… leading to sleep disturbances.
Sleep disturbance can present itself as: - Difficulty to fall asleep
- Waking up during the night - Sleeping less than 7 hours a night
- Or Day time fatigue.
And when we continuously don’t get adequate sleep…
It can take a toll on our brain’s health.
Sleep disturbance and deprivation prevent our brain from processing and cleansing…
Two essential steps we need each night to maintain a healthy brain.
Without them… our brain is subject to: - Oxidative stress
- Inflammation - And Cognitive decline.
A small study found that patients who were sleep-deprived experienced:
- Fatigue - Mood changes
- Decreased concentration - And reduced cognitive functions
And when it comes to intermittent fasting…
Sleep disturbance is the most common side effect experienced!
A recent study in 1422 adults found that…
15% reported regular sleep disturbance related to fasting.
In this study…
participants fasted for 4 to 21 days with a daily calorie count of 200–250 kcal.
In contrast…
Another study reported no side effects related to sleep…
On participants...
who followed an alternate-day fasting method with 600 kcal on fasting day.
So while sleep disturbances can be important and detrimental for brain health…
This suggests that a more gentle approach to fasting can help those side effects stay
at bay.
All in all…
Intermittent fasting can lead to serious side effects and permanent damages for the brain.
But as we observed…
This can be the result of particular health problems or extreme fast.
In most cases…
side effects are often mild…
And the best way to stay clear of them… is to chat with a professional…
… And find the fasting method that works best for your health conditions.
But is it really worth it to fast?
And can it improve your brain health?
That’s what we’re about to explore.
But before we do…
Don’t forget to claim a copy of your free gift, "The 15 Worst And Best Foods For Your
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Discover which everyday foods can harm your brain and raise your risk of mental
disorders…
And which ones can enhance mental focus, boost mood, ease depression, and much more!
And now… let’s look at how intermittent fasting can improve your brain’s health
with…
The 5 Pros Of Intermittent Fasting For Brain Health Starting With…
Number 5.
Intermittent fasting can boost blood flow to the brain
As you age… maintaining a healthy blood flow to the brain is not always easy.
Things like: - Hypertension
- Depression - poor nutrition…
Along with common behavioral disorders such as:
- ADHD - Bipolar disorder...
Can overtime lower the blood flow to the brain.
In fact… low blood flow is the number 1 predictor for Alzheimer’s disease.
Intermittent fasting might not be a cure-all to aging and developing diseases…
But it is showing promising results at boosting blood flow to the brain.
And it does that by lowering blood pressure and maintaining heart health.
High blood pressure has been linked with risks of:
- Stroke - And dementia...
As it can cause blood vessels in the brain to clog or burst.
A 2019 review observed the impact of time-restricted fasting…
...16h fasting and 8 h eating window… on blood pressure.
After gathering results from various studies… experts concluded that time-restricted fasting
decreased: - Inflammation
- Cholesterol - Systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
This suggests intermittent fasting reduces the markers triggering high blood pressure…
...and as a result…
boost blood flow to the brain.
But that is not the only way intermittent fasting influences our brain’s blood flow…
Number 4.
Intermittent fasting reduces brain inflammation Chronic inflammation can be detrimental for
our brain.
It is one of the major causes for: - Depression
- Bipolar disorder - OCD
- Schizophrenia - Dementia
- And Alzheimers.
And whether that’s because of age… diet… or stress…
Inflammation in the brain can be triggered by many factors.
But it seems that... intermittent fasting can be an efficient way at reducing inflammation…
By inhibiting certain inflammatory markers such as:
- Oxidative stress - And free radicals.
Oxidative stress and free radicals are unstable molecules that can modify and damage:
- DNA - And cellular proteins…
found in the brain.
Studies have found that… oxidative stress and free radicals can lead to:
- Brain aging - Cognitive decline
- And risks of Parkinson's disease.
So how can intermittent fasting help?
Well…
Research has found that... intermittent fasting can enhance the body’s resistance to oxidative
damage.
A study using a time-restricted fasting method noted that…
Fasting produces less inflammation and oxidative damage in the body… compared to a regular
diet.
This can be the result of the metabolic changes fasting influences.
In contrast…
experts observed no change in oxidative damage...
...after participants followed an alternate-day fasting method for 2 months.
Overall… a non-extreme fasting method coupled with a healthy diet…
Can have positive effects on brain inflammation.
As a byproduct it can also influence...
Number 3.
Intermittent fasting triggers autophagy… or the cleansing of the brain
Autopahy refers to the removal of: - Old and damaged cells
- Oxidative molecules - Proteins
- And debris…
That accumulates in the brain throughout the day.
The brain naturally performs this self-cleansing process when we sleep... in order to keep
itself healthy.
Autophagy also helps the brain cells to repair and regenerate.
However…
This system can become slower or damaged as we age.
In fact… poor autophagy has been linked with:
- Depression - Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia - Alzheimers
- And other various neurodegenerative diseases.
But don’t be alarmed just yet.
Because promising experiments have found that...
Intermittent fasting may boost your brain’s abilities to cleanse.
After evaluating the impact of intermittent fasting over 3 months…
An experiment on mice observed that… intermittent fasting significantly increased the activation
of: - The notch signaling pathway
- The hippocampus - And the connection between brain cells.
So while human trials are needed... ...to understand how accurately intermittent
fasting boosts autophagy…
This suggests that...
Reducing food intake... through intermittent fasting...
can boost the cleansing abilities of the body and the brain.
Number 2.
Intermittent fasting may also boost our mood Yes… practicing intermittent fasting has
shown to increase emotional wellbeing.
But how is that possible…
when we’ve seen that one side effect can be mood swings?
Well… it has a lot to do with our hormonal system.
When we space out our meals… our hormone levels change to:
- Release stored fat as energy - And Initiate cellular detoxification.
As a result, the: - Estrogen
- Progesterone - And testosterone... hormone levels regulate.
These hormones influence the neurotransmitters in our brain responsible for our mood.
Unbalanced hormones…
although more common for women…
can take place at any stage of life.
Studies have heavily linked unbalanced hormones with mood disorders that can be:
- Mild…such as mood swings… - or severe…
such as depression…
bipolar disorder… or schizophrenia.
So… does that mean that intermittent fasting can support hormone balance…
And as a result...
improve our mood?
Experts believe so!
Research published in the Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging found that…
Men who practiced intermittent fasting for 3 months experienced a decrease in:
- Tension - Anger
- Confusion - And overall mood disturbances.
Another study tested: - Time-restricted fasting
- Alternate-day fasting - And non-fasting methods…
On 3 groups of patients and found that…
Both intermittent fasting methods significantly improved emotional wellbeing scores…
...Compared to the patient group who didn’t fast.
So yes… intermittent fasting can help improve your mental state…
And as a result…
your brain health.
But that’s not all… as there is one more benefit to intermittent fasting which is…
Number 1.
Intermittent fasting may help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases.
It often develops because of: - Age
- Genetics - Inflammation
- And other lifestyle factors…
That causes symptoms of: - Memory loss
- Behavioral changes - And cognitive decline.
While the disease is still not fully understood… and there is no cure for it…
Emerging research has pointed out several ways to...
- Reduce the risk of Alzheimer's - And minimize its symptoms.
One of these ways is intermittent fasting.
An experiment done on rats and mice noted that….
Fasting intermittently can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and reduce its severity.
Another study on patients with Alzheimer’s also found that…
A time-restricted fasting daily significantly improved Alzheimer’s symptoms... in 9 out
of 10 people.
And while it is unclear how a fast influences Alzheimer’s…
This study highlights that intermittent fasting….
- Reduces inflammation - And Activate the brain signaling pathways.
As a result…
it slows down the neuro-degenerative process caused by Alzheimer’s.
So while this doesn’t suggest that intermittent fasting can protect your brain health from
declining…
It may be an efficient way… along with other dietary habits…
To boost and support your brain’s abilities.
And when it comes to fasting… it is best to choose a method that is not extreme.
A time-restricted fast seems to have many benefits and minimum side effects….
While an important restriction in calories on alternative days may have the opposite
effect.
All in all… before starting on your fasting journey…
It is important to take into consideration your current health…
And find a method that will benefit your body and your brain.
And there you have it.
Now we want to hear from you!
Are you going to start intermittent fasting?
Which method are you interested in and for what reason?
Share your thoughts with our brain community below.
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