Intermittent fasting- negative effects on women

by - April 26, 2019

Intermittent fasting is an exercise where you consciously stop eating every day or every other day for a period of time. There are several ways to do this, but the most common is to fast 16 hours a day while limiting your consumption time to an eight hour period. It has become a popular method to become slim and lose weight. It is also said to increase energy levels, increase motivation and endurance, and improve cognitive function.

Although intermittent fasting seems to offer some promising benefits, it may not be suitable for everyone, especially if you are a woman. The answer to the question of whether intermittent fasting will work for you has its roots in human biology. Although shorter periods of fasting are generally considered safe for most people, prolonged periods of fasting associated with intermittent fasting are not recommended for women.

Several studies have been carried out on intermittent fasting in rats to understand the variable effects of intermittent fasting on men and women. Before starting a fasting plan, many women have two main concerns:

 1) Is it safe?

 2) Do I receive the same benefits as men?

 Is it safe?

The most common concern is probably whether intermittent fasting can have an adverse effect on women's hormonal levels. A study on rats has shown that intermittent fasting can cause hormonal imbalance in the rat. However, scientific research in humans has shown exactly the opposite. Short-term fasting does not appear to affect the woman's hormones or menstrual cycle and all reproductive hormones must be kept within normal limits.

Fasting in the short term is just under 24 hours. Fasts that last more than 24 hours are not recommended for women as they may have a negative effect on hormonal balance. Some women trying intermittent fasting have missed rules, metabolic disorders, and even an early transition to menopause.

 The effects of intermittent fasting on women

A special study showed that intermittent fasting, if done properly, can help regulate blood glucose, regulate blood lipids, decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, manage weight, help us get (or keep ) lean mass, reducing the risk of cancer and more. With regard to weight loss, almost all studies on fasting confirm that men and women enjoy the same benefits. There is sufficient evidence that men and women had similar weight loss during fasting.

Furthermore, besides the highly desirable weight loss, women have been observed to experience many side effects as a result of intermittent fasting. This includes decreased glucose control in women after three weeks of intermittent fasting, which was not the case in men, changes in their menstrual cycle after the start of intermittent fasting. These changes occur because female bodies are extremely sensitive to caloric restriction.

At the end of the day, the choice of whether or not to practice intermittent fasting can only be made by the individual involved. It can produce excellent results irrespective of the human biology in terms of weight loss but it comes at a price for women who choose to practice it.

Find out intermittent fasting plans suitable for women here.

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