Eating in a Six-Hour Window and Fasting for 18 Hours Might Help You Live Longer

A review of animal and human studies in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests intermittent fasting 16 to 18 hours a day can lower blood pressure, aid in weight loss, and improve longevity, reports CNN . Because most Americans do not intermittently fast, doctors are less likely to consider fasting a solution to a broad range of health problems. The researchers determined alternating between fasting and eating can improve cellular health, probably by triggering metabolic switching, in which cells deplete their fuel stores and convert fat to energy. Intermittent fasting is believed to enhance insulin resistance and stabilize blood sugar levels. One study in BMJ Case Reports found three men with adult-onset diabetes were able to discontinue insulin after losing weight from intermittent fasting. Another study in Nature Reviews Neuroscience revealed metabolic switching boosts resistance to stress by optimizing brain function and neuroplasticity. Finally, a study in the Journal of Translational Medicine found young men who fasted daily for 16 hours lost fat and retained muscle while resistance training for two months.