Intermittent Fasting - Part 2
Intermittent Fasting For Men
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is very popular and sounds like it’s science-backed. It is…kinda. There’s been some promising research with rats and some early human studies. Plus, there are a lot of anecdotal accounts. Just keep that in mind whenever you hear about IF :).
Overall, the main argument for IF is that it mirrors how we may have eaten before the agricultural time, when there’d be times of food abundance and scarcity. The main IF argument is that our body’s evolved with regular fasting and it’s our preferred state.
And, honestly, that might be the case for men.
Most of the research is on male humans & rats and there’s a lot of promising data. I’ve separated men & women in this masterclass because it seems like women may have the opposite reaction compared to men.
Early research is finding that IF may:
regulate blood glucose & lower insulin levels
boost your metabolism & fat burning
lower inflammation
control blood lipids, like triglycerides & cholesterol
reduce the risk of coronary disease
manage body weight
help you gain (or maintain) lean mass
reduce the risk of cancer (in longer 48+ hour fasts)
Increase human growth hormone production (in longer 48+ hour fasts)
IF may help with men who are on dealing with symptoms of metabolic syndrome (high insulin/blood sugar, high blood lipids, belly fat), as well as help to shed those last few pounds. For many, it can be an effective method to get leaner.
The other benefits, like reducing the risk of cancer and increasing human growth hormone production need some more research. That’s mostly anecdotal (as of the writing of this, Dec 2020)
In men, it can effectively boost your metabolism and facilitate fat burning, specifically visceral (belly) fat, while lowering insulin levels and inflammation. It sounds almost too good to be true! (there ARE downsides, keep reading :)
Men & Women Aren’t the Same
Just in case there’s a woman in your life that would also like to try it, I’d like to give you a taste of how different IF is for men vs. women:
From an article from Precision Nutrition
“One 2005 study published in Obesity Research tested eight men and eight women, all non-obese, who were instructed to fast on alternate days for a period of three weeks.
After the three weeks, men had improved insulin sensitivity, and their glucose response was unchanged.
The women, however, showed no change in insulin response, but their glucose tolerance was slightly worse than it was before the experiment started
In other words, a short intermittent fasting protocol improved men’s blood sugar response, but impaired women’s.”
For more on the issues with IF and Women, check out Part 3.
Intermittent Fasting & Chronic Stress
It’s important to understand that fasting is a stress on the body. Yes, it can be beneficial, but if you’re dealing with a lot of stress in your life, it may be too much for your body right now.
Most of the research is on rats, not humans living normal busy lives. Plus, many men feel energetic and clear-headed while fasting…but that can be due to an adrenaline rush. This is totally fine if your life is fairly low-stress and balanced but it can be a problem if your life is one adrenaline rush after another.
So, please evaluate the stress in your life before embarking on an IF adventure. And, avoid IF if you’re already feeling symptoms of burn out or adrenal fatigue.
IF and Testosterone & Sperm Production
Your hypothalamus talks to your pituitary gland throughout every day. It asks your pituitary gland to make 2 hormones that trigger the production of testosterone and sperm.
The hypothalamus is very sensitive to how much energy comes into the body every day, and for some, fasting can trigger low testosterone and reduce sperm production.
But, for some men, fasting is helpful because it lowers inflammation and insulin levels which also helps with testosterone.
If you deal with low testosterone, be VERY careful with fasting. But, if your testosterone is okay but your insulin levels are higher than you’d like or you’re dealing with inflammation, then it’s something to consider trying :)
Stop Intermittent Fasting if:
You become preoccupied with food, and/or crave very high-fat food (anecdotal reports of wanting to bite into a stick of butter are common)
Your overall stress goes up
You begin to feel anxious or depressed
Your sleep is affected
Your libido is affected (could be a sign your testosterone is going down)
Best Types of Intermittent Fasting for Men
First and foremost, the best type is the one you enjoy. Overall, men’s bodies seem to enjoy longer fasts.
Try:
Eating window – 16:8 or 20:4
24+ hour fasts (24 or 36 hours seems to work well)
I think it’s also important to stress the fact that this isn’t the only way to help balance the body, lower blood sugar, get leaner, etc. It’s just one way. If it’s a tool your body likes, great! If it’s torture…stop. Don’t force your body into something just because it looks good on paper.
If you have any questions, jump to our private Facebook Group or the Ask Lisa page :)