Intermittent fasting for women: Things to know
Intermittent fasting has gained
immense popularity over the past few months. People who have tried it
claim that the diet has not just helped them with weight loss but has
also helped in managing blood sugar levels.
But fasting has a different set of benefits and drawbacks for both men and women.
Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term that is used for several eating plans that alternate between periods of eating and fasting. The diet is focused on when to eat and not on what to eat.
The diet restricts your eating to a certain window of time each day. The most popular intermittent fasting method is 16:8, where you fast from 16 hours, usually from night until noon next day.
The benefits of Intermittent fasting depends on the type of fast you are following, its duration and maybe even your gender.
Here is how Intermittent fasting can have different results for men and women.
Women may react faster
Women
may observe the effects of fasting sooner than men. When you fast, a
metabolic switch is flipped on during the fasting. When this happens,
you start to burn fat instead of glucose for energy.
Women can hit this switch sooner than men while following intermittent fasting. There is more fat seen in the bloodstream of women than men who for a similar amount of time.
This indicates that women can see results with shorter fasting windows. More studies are being conducted to see if females can benefit from shorter fasting duration.
Weight loss
Most
intermittent fasting methods do not restrict what you can eat during
the eating window. A study published in 2019 in Obesity found that obese
women lost more weight by following intermittent fasting along with a
strict diet.
Insulin resistance
While
following intermittent fasting, many people have seen improvements in
insulin resistance. But women may not see the same level of improvement
than men. Researches are underway to confirm this.
Insulin resistance happens when your body doesn't respond well to insulin and can't use glucose for energy. As a result, your pancreas makes more insulin, making your blood sugar level go up.
Fertility
One
study has found that fasting doesn't affect hormone levels in
premenopausal women. However, a study conducted on Muslim women who fast
from dawn to dusk for 30 days during Ramadan suggests that there can be
some irregularities in the menstrual cycle of the women who fast.
They might experience a heavier flow than usual or frequent periods. Irregular menstrual cycle as we all know can affect a woman's fertility.
Caution
Not
every woman should try Intermittent fasting, especially if you are
pregnant or breastfeeding. Fasting can restrict the nutrition the mom
and the baby need. Additionally, the diet is not recommended for women
with eating disorders.
If you are planning to follow Intermittent fasting, you must consult a registered dietitian to help you with it.