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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.