Studies On The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
Animal studies consistently show that intermittent fasting:
- Improves insulin sensitivity and reduces insulin levels
- Reduced systemic inflammation
- Increases animals stress tolerance cells exposed to chemicals take less damage
- Increases lifespan and results in overall improvements in health
Unfortunately the data on humans is far less convincing, partially because relatively few human studies have been done, and those studies often raise more questions than they provide answers.
Possible improvements in insulin resistance
Most human studies on intermittent fasting show improvements in insulin resistance though caveats apply.
Helibronn et al put 8 men and 8 women on 22-day alternate day fasting regimen, meaning they had to fast every other day but could eat as much as they wanted on the other days. This graph shows insulin and blood sugar levels at baseline, morning after eating day and morning after fasting day .
As you can see, insulin levels dropped dramatically after fasting days, but were slightly higher after eating days. I should say that both the baseline and the eating day reading were taken after 12 hour fast. The participants were allowed to eat until 7pm and the measurements were taken 7am the next morning.
IF may to downregulate mTor pathway
Increases stress tolerance
Science summary
Fasting And Wound Healing
In an experimental mouse model, short-term fasting for 4 consecutive days repeated every 2 weeks for 2 months, followed by the induction of a cutaneous wound, was associated with an increase in wound healing compared to the control group. According to the authors, caloric restriction enhanced wound healing through the increase in macrophage activity. The production of transforming growth factor alpha by macrophage during the re-epithelization phase of wound healing promotes keratinocyte proliferation. Additionally, macrophages also secrete VEGF, a potent angiogenic and fibrogenic factor necessary for granulation tissue formation .
Another study conducted by Hunt et al. in 2012, however, reported slower wound healing in a sample of 22 7-month-old Fischer-344 rats, 8 of which were maintained on a caloric restricted diet after wounding, compared to 5 controls which were fed ad libitum. This effect was corrected to a healing rate comparable with that of the control group when the caloric restricted rats were re-fed ad libitum for 2 days before wounding, in addition to maintaining a normal diet after wounding. This was explained by up-regulated expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 binding protein 3 and increased synthesis of type I collagen, resulting in enhancing the contractile capacity of the wound . In other studies, a one-time fast for 72 hours with access to water only resulted in a decrease in cutaneous collagen formation.
Fasting And Skin Growth Regulation
IGF-1 as a mitogen is known for its pro-growth effects which include suppression of apoptosis, increased angiogenesis, and stimulation of cell proliferation. IGFs are produced in most cells, with IGFBPs that modulate their actions, and act locally on a paracrine or autocrine mode. IGF stimulates proliferation and cell differentiation. Because of their homology structure with insulin, IGFs can, under determined pharmacological doses, act on the insulin receptor. In particular, IGF-1 can lower blood sugar, inhibit the processes of lipolysis and of catabolism of proteins. The mitogenesis downstream signaling cascade of IGF-1 involves the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways . In 2007, Xie et al. studied the effect of 20% dietary caloric restriction for 5 days a week extended through 10 weeks with and without exercise on the development of skin tumors in SENsitivity to CARcinogenesis mice, known for their sensitivity to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate -induced skin cancer. The research group recorded a decrease of Ras-MAPK and PI3K-Akt pathways, in addition to down-regulation of the expression of 31 and 34 genes related to MAPK and PI3K pathways, respectively. This was explained by a significant reduction of IGF-1 levels associated with dietary restriction, suggesting a potential anti-carcinogenic role .
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Why Does My Skin Look Better After Fasting
The skin looks younger, healthier, and clearer when the inflammatory state in the gut is lowered. Fasting increases the bodys metabolism, which leads to a healthy metabolism. Fasting is a great way to lose weight, but its not the only way. You can also use fasting as a tool to improve your health and well-being.
Guide To Intermittent Fasting For Acne: Does It Work
Intermittent fasting has been all the rage for weight loss, but have you ever considered it for skin health?
As a dermatologist, I want to explain precisely how intermittent fasting benefits the skin, whether or not it works, and how to get started.
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Lets Look At Some Of The Reasons Fasting May Help Your Skin And Acne
Agua is a crew of women who support each other towards the same goal:Improving our health through intermittent fasting.
Natasha Jordan wrote the article of this week:
Natasha has over 10 years of experience in health and wellness, with nutrition and skin health expertise. Enjoy
The best of all medicines is resting and fasting.”
Benjamin Franklin
If youre here, youre probably already convinced that fasting can set off a cascade of events that are highly beneficial to your health
But can fasting specifically help with your acne? You see, the skin is a complicated organ it needs the right nutrients and the right environment to thrive. You can’t treat a single skin condition without treating the entire skin.
Lets look at some of the reasons fasting may help your skin and acne
Fasting may help extinguishes inflammation
During periods of fasting you eliminate intake of poor quality carbohydrates . These carbohydrates are a key driver of inflammation in the body. Acne is an inflammatory skin condition, so it makes sense if you take the fuel away, you extinguish the flame.
Fasting may help balance blood sugar levels
High blood sugar levels can lead to glycation in the skin, and glycation can weaken the skin.
Glycation causes excess sugar floating around in your body to attach to collagen and elastin proteins, which makes them stiff and can make the skin look less supple, more aged and less resilient.
Fasting may improve gut health
Who Should Avoid Skin Fasting
I do not recommend skin fasting for those who have skin disorders like eczema, uncontrolled acne, rosacea, melasma, or other skin disorders that do require topical products to help, says Zubritsky. I am not a fan of the cold turkey, total elimination of all skincare products at once, especially if you have a skin condition that requires active ingredients.
It is advisable to speak to your dermatologist or prescribing physician about taking a break from any prescription products that you are currently using, as some should not be stopped, adds Aguilar. Not protecting your skin with sunscreen . If you’ve used any acids in the last three days, especially retinol, then you must continue to wear sunscreen and limit sun exposure.
Those who have skincare routines that work may want to skip this method, too. As the saying goesif it isnt broken, dont fix it.
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Does Water Fasting Make You Look Younger
The Director of Patient.co.uk told Fabulous Digital that fasting can damage your looks, in stark contrast toNicolas claims. Fasting can actually make you more unattractive because your metabolism slows down and your skin becomes dry and flaky.
Fasting also causes your blood sugar levels to drop, which can make it harder for you to lose weight.
Anatomy And Physiology Of The Skin
Skin is the largest organ of the body, covering an impressive surface area of approximately 2 m2 and accounting for about 20% of total adult body weight. Being situated at the interface between the human body and environment, it is an important barrier, with both passive and active roles against chemical, physical and microbial insults .
Skin is composed of an upper layer , and a lower layer separated by a basement membrane. The epidermis is formed of 5 layers: the outermost layer is the stratum corneum, the stratum lucidum , the stratum granulosum, the stratum spinosum, and the stratum basale .
The stratum corneum is particularly thick, consisting of dead cells surrounded by lipid drafts representing the formidable physical barrier .
Dermis is divided according to the thickness of its collagen content into an upper stratum papillare and lower stratum reticulare, containing thin and thick collagen fibers, respectively .
Hypodermis or subcutaneous tissue is a layer of loose connective tissue and elastin that provides insulation from cold temperature, shock adsorbent capability, and a nutrient and energy storage reservoir . The hypodermis is thickest in the buttocks, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet . As we age, the hypodermis begins to atrophy, contributing to the thin wrinkled appearance of the aged skin .
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How Long Should I Do Skin Fasting
There is no hard and fast rule of doing skin fasts, but it depends on how regular you are with your skin care regimen. If you dont use a lot of exfoliants, you can go on a skin cleanse once in two months.
Skin Fasting is a great way to cleanse your skin of dead skin cells, dead cells that are no longer needed, and excess sebum. Its also great for clearing up acne scars and blemishes, as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Fasting This Navratri Can Have Both Good And Bad Effects On The Skin Hence It Is Important To Fast The Healthy Way
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Everyone is fasting this week as the country is celebrating the Navratri festival with full zeal. Turns out, fasting the conventional way can have quite an impact on your skin. Hence, you need to find healthy ways to fast.
Ayurveda, too, suggests that fasting is a great way of detoxing your body but it only happens when you indulge in healthy practices like:
- Eating healthy food
- Not skipping meals
- Staying hydrated
No wonder that Navratri fasting concentrates on healthy consumption such as fruits instead of complex restrictions. In fact, renowned dermatologists also believe that fasting can make or break your skin. Hence, fasting the right way is important.
Here are some amazing effects that fasting can have on your skin but only if you do it right
Healthy fasting helps your body maintain a healthy balance. There are many skin benefits of fasting when done the optimal way. You see, fasting is considered to be a reboot for the gut microbiome which is the origin point for inflammation in the body in most cases.
When you fast, it improves the health of the gut so that the systemic inflammation of the skin reduces. The lowered inflammatory state in the gut makes the skin look younger, healthier, and clearer. In addition, fasting increases the bodys metabolic activity, which also leads to a healthy body and skin.
Unfortunately, there are some side effects of fasting too
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Ugm Dermatologist Shares Tips On How To Mind Your Skin Health During Fasting
- 04 May 2020, 16:39 WIB
- The Indonesian Student Debate Competition and NatioSalma
- Gadjah Mada Aerospace Team has taken third place inSalma
- UGM Urban Design students have bagged the top prize at theSalma
- Arat Sabulungan had long been a guide for the indigenous pSalma
- The UGM research team led by a pediatric dermatologist, PrSalma
Intermittent Fasting Promotes Better Sleep
Beauty sleep isnt just a cliché sleep is one of the most important factors outside of diet for clear skin. Thats why its no surprise that both sleep deprivation and rates of acne in America are at all-time highs.
- Sleep deprivation leads to higher levels of the fight-or-flight hormone called cortisol. Cortisol increases insulin resistance, weakens your digestive system, and makes your skin more acne-prone
- A bad nights sleep has been shown to increase insulin resistance the next day, further contributing to acne
- Poor sleep leads to poor immune health and increased inflammatory chemicals that can worsen existing pimples
Its simple if youre not sleeping enough, its going to be harder to fight acne.
Lucky for us, intermittent fasting is one of the best things you can do to promote healthy sleep.
While things like blue light exposure, exercise, and caffeine have a big effect on your bodys circadian rhythm it turns out that what and when you eat are also major factors.
Numerous studies have shown that simply shortening the window of time you eat during the day can promote a healthier circadian rhythm:
- Intermittent fasting enhances the overall effectiveness of circadian rhythm activators
- Changing when mice ate, not even what they ate, had a significantly positive effect on sleep 00189-1.pdf” rel=”nofollow”> R)
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What Is Skin Fasting
Skin fasting is taking a break from all of your current skincare products or routine to give your skin time to breathe, rest, and reset, explains Zubritsky. Theoretically, it allows your skin to naturally function the way it was intended to without the help of skincare products.
While the concept is fairly straightforward, the methodology can vary from person to person. Like food-related fasting, there can be different levels of how much you eliminate and for how long, says Fernandez. The theory is to let your skin rebuild its protective stratum corneum layer to foster better skin health and resilience. It can also be a good way to detect products that are causing irritation, breakouts, or other skin problems.
While information as to what products work best for certain skin types, what products work best with one another, and what products you should avoid all exist, its easy to get caught up with new launches, fads, and trends. Skin fasting doesnt have to be a full elimination of your skincare products sometimes, it can be just phasing out one product at a time to test what works best for your skin type.
Keeps Your Skin Hydrated
Drinking sufficient amounts of water regularly is vital for overall good health as water aids digestion, circulation, absorption and even excretion. The skin is an organ and is made up of cells. Skin cells, like any other cell in the body, are composed of water. Without water, the cells will not function optimally or at their best. If your skin does not receive sufficient quantities of water, the lack of hydration will cause the skin to become dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more vulnerable to wrinkles. Drinking ample fluids keeps the skin hydrated, prevent wrinkles and other skin-aging signs.1
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Fine Lines And Wrinkles
Premature aging can occur if you get too much sun exposure, eat a bad diet, smoke frequently, or consume excessive amounts of alcohol.
If your diet regularly consists of processed foods, sugars, fats, and carbs especially, by cutting these foods out during an intermittent fast, youll lessen inflammation. This is important, as inflammatory damage can wreck your skins elastin and collagen, causing those wrinkles you dont want.
To keep your skin looking great even when youre not fasting, make sure you eat balanced, nutritious foods.
Your Skin May Need Time
Remember, it is not unusual to experience a few pimples during a fast, especially if you are new to fasting. Your body is eliminating toxins, and some hormones may be moving around in your body a little differently while you fast. Hopefully, with time and as your health improves, potential breakouts should be minimised.
We know fasting is not a cure for all and there is still so much we have to learn. We also know fasting is a unique experience, and we encourage you to share yours.
Become part of our supportive fasting community today by replying to this email we want to hear from you, what works for you, as well as what doesn’t!
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Is Intermittent Fasting Good For Acne
Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that cycles between periods of not eating and eating. It has gained popularity among the paleo/primal community as a way to hack your body, and its touted to have almost miraculous health benefits.
In this post I want to talk about intermittent fasting for acne. Well go over things like: Can it help? Can it be harmful? Who should and who should not try it? And how to do it?
Is There Any Evidence Give Me Some Science
Skin and fasting has been a hot topic in the world of dermatology. This is because evidence has started to emerge that supports the use of fasting to increase longevity. This means it potentially has some profound anti-aging benefits, and we all know anti-ageing medicine is the holy grail of healthy skin.
If you have acne, you should know about IGF-1.
IGF-1 means insulin-like growth factor one. But donât let the techy term confuse you. All you need to know is, it is the ânot so great for acne hormoneâ â it increases inflammation and accelerates aging.
High levels of IGF-1 have been linked to the development of acne. One fascinating study has demonstrated that when you fast, IGF-1 decreases…eliminating one link to acne has got to be a plus.
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Different Methods Of Intermittent Fasting
Here are the most common methods of intermittent fasting.
1. Overnight Fasting
In overnight fasting, you restrict yourself from eating at least 12 to 13 hours every day. This means if you stop eating at 7 pm, your next meal will happen at the 12-hour mark, which is 7 am.
A benefit of this method is that your body is able to reset hormone imbalances in the body, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress, and improve your digestion overnight.
In response to these resetting processes, the body restores its functions overnight, including maximizing the autophagy process where the body recycles damaged cells to new and healthy cells. Overnight fasting can also be a better way to reduce skin inflammation meaning fewer acne breakouts.
2. 5:2 Fasting
The 5:2 fasting or The Fast Diet is the most popular intermittent fasting method.
Here, the idea involves eating normally for five days without counting calories and restricting yourself to about 500-600 calories in the other two days.
While you can fast on any day of your choice, the most common way of planning your fasting is at least one day in between your scheduled fasting days. It can be on Mondays and Fridays, with about a restriction of 500 calories for women and 600 for men.The idea of 5:2 fasting is to reduce insulin resistance and decrease the level of inflammation.
3. 16/8 Rule
You can repeat the cycle on any day of the week, depending on your personal goals.
4. Eat Stop Eat
5. Alternate-Day Fasting
