Trillions of microbes live in your gut that help break down food and produce nutrients like B vitamins and vitamin K. Fasting can improve overall gut health by helping these microbes multiply, which is one of many ways to do so.
Different types of fasting suit different people and lifestyles. Learn more about fasting and how fasting can help your gut.
The Benefits of a Healthy Gut
When organisms in the gut digest dietary fiber, they produce compounds that researchers have found to be essential for muscle function and disease prevention.
Gut bacteria can even affect your mood and cognition. They help transmit signals between the brain and digestive system – a connection known as the gut-brain axis.
Feeding your microbes the right foods balances the good and bad bacteria in your gut, giving you great health benefits. When the microbes in your gut are in a healthy balance, your chances of developing a variety of chronic diseases are reduced, including:
- Asthma
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Mental health conditions
- Rheumatoid arthritis
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary pattern that eats only at certain times of the day. This fasting can be done in a variety of ways, but there are two examples:
- Time-restricted eating: Limit the amount of time you eat each day to a certain amount of time and fast the rest of the day.
- Weekly intermittent fasting: Restrict eating and drinking on non-consecutive days two to three days a week.
Studies have shown that both methods may help reduce weight loss and improve metabolic function, which can reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer. However, many studies have been conducted on rodents, and the few studies conducted on humans have had mixed results, so more research is needed to determine whether these fasting methods are effective.
Note: People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as those with a history of eating disorders, should not attempt any form of fasting.
Intermittent Fasting and Gut Health
Intermittent fasting works synergistically with the gut microbiota to help increase metabolic efficiency. Intermittent fasting can also alter the composition of the microbiota, making the bacteria more diverse.
A particular bacterium – Ackerman’s myxobacteria – is multiplying rapidly, and this bacterium is associated with positive health indicators, such as reduced gut inflammation and a healthier intestinal barrier. The intestinal barrier is the lining of the intestines. It allows nutrients to pass through but blocks bacteria and other germs.
The Secret to Fasting to Keep Your Gut Healthy
There are several IF modes, but the two common types are:
- The 5:2 fasting method per week, which is to eat normally five days a week and strictly restrict food calories on two non-consecutive days
- 16:8 time-restricted feeding, i.e. fasting for 16 hours and then eating for the remaining 8 hours
Fasting days do not have to be completely calorie-free. Most programs recommend a 70% to 75% reduction in calorie intake on fasting days, but even a 60% reduction will vary.
Also, don’t restrict your calorie intake during eating. Instead, focus on food intake. Most gut bacteria need food to survive – not to mention that you need food for energy and other functions. It is important to note that short-term fasting does not negatively affect gut diversity.
However, when your body goes into starvation mode (such as if you fast for too long), the diversity of gut bacteria decreases. Gut diversity is what ensures that fasting is truly intermittent, do not fast for two days in a row.
Eat on Time
A fasting regimen with a 24-hour cycle (such as a 16:8 or 14:10 segment) allows you to align your fast with your natural sleep/wake cycle. This is important because circadian rhythms regulate the processing of nutrients.
For example, insulin is most effective in the morning and at noon; Whereas, at night and at night, insulin secretion decreases. If you snack at night, then the insulin you secrete won’t be as effective as eating the same food for breakfast.
By eating breakfast a little later (say, 8 or 9 a.m.) and dinner a little earlier (after around 6 p.m.), you can align your food intake with your circadian rhythm and still extend your nighttime fast without too much extra effort.
