Intermittent Fasting Clinical Protocol

Most evidence-based fasting protocol. Intermittent fasting isn't new - it's how humans ate ancestrally (no refrigeration, 24/7 food access is modern). Multiple RCTs show: Weight loss (easier calorie restriction despite no counting), improved insulin sensitivity (fasting lowers insulin), autophagy (cellular cleanup, longevity), cardiovascular benefits, reduced inflammation. Satchin Panda's research on circadian rhythms: Time-restricted eating aligns eating with circadian insulin sensitivity (highest AM, lowest PM). Even with same calories, TRE improves metabolic health. Early TRE (eating breakfast/lunch, skipping dinner) may be metabolically superior but harder socially. 16:8 sweet spot: Long enough for benefits (insulin drops, ketones rise, autophagy starts), sustainable long-term, socially manageable. OMAD (23:1): More aggressive, deeper autophagy and fat-burning, but harder to get adequate nutrition/calories in one meal. 5:2 and ADF: Alternate approach with full-day fasts, harder to sustain for many. Mechanism: Fasting depletes glycogen (12-16 hours), switches metabolism to fat-burning, insulin drops (reverses insulin resistance), ketones rise (brain fuel, signaling molecules), autophagy activated (cellular cleanup), growth hormone rises (muscle preservation). Weight loss without calorie counting: Most people naturally eat less in compressed window (hard to overeat), plus metabolic benefits. Diabetes: IF reverses insulin resistance more than any other intervention (Fung's clinic eliminates T2D medications routinely). Longevity: Valter Longo's research ties to longevity pathways (mTOR inhibition, autophagy). Easy, free, no special foods needed - just rearrange meal timing. Sustainable long-term (not restrictive "diet"). Powerful tool for metabolic health.