Scientific American talked about the health risks of intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting, in which people abstain from food for certain hours, has become a popular method for improving health and weight loss. However, recent studies and experts have questioned its benefits, especially for people with predispositions to diseases. This was reported in the Scientific American journal.

Proponents of this method claim that temporary abstinence from food for a long time during the day can improve health and prolong life. In the most common fasting regime, people do not eat for 16 hours, often skipping breakfast or dinner, and make up for the lack of food in the remaining eight hours (the so-called 16:8 method). Some people may significantly limit their food intake every other day (alternating days method) or arrange a fasting day twice a week (5:2 method).

Some studies show that intermittent fasting can lead to loss of muscle mass, which is especially dangerous for the elderly. In 2025, a study conducted in Spain showed that people who practiced intermittent fasting lost muscle mass, unlike those who followed a balanced diet with even calorie intake.

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Intermittent fasting may also not be suitable for people with pre-existing medical conditions. Doctors emphasized that diabetics should adjust the dosage and time of medication if they decide to try this method, and only in consultation with a doctor. Experts warn that with heart disease and hypertension, intermittent fasting can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and deterioration of the condition.

As doctors have concluded, a healthy diet and physical activity are always more important. Despite the popularity of the trend, intermittent fasting is not a universal solution and can lead to unpredictable health consequences, especially with prolonged use.

Psychotherapist Victoria Kolesnikova, in an interview with Izvestia, listed the first signs of anorexia. According to her, teenagers, under certain conditions, may have a painful conviction of their own "excessive fullness", such thoughts can be obsessive, overpriced, and sometimes delusional.

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