7-day modified fasting therapy improves health, body weight of hospitalized patients

Modified fasting therapy for 7 days is both safe and effective for improving physical health, body weight-related indicators, body composition, and relevant cardiovascular risk factors in hospitalized patients, results of a recent study have shown.

A group of researchers conducted this study to assess the efficacy and safety of modified fasting therapy. They also carried out a retrospective study to analyse changes in clinical indicators of hospitalized fasting patients. Overall, 2,054 patients participated in this observational study, all of whom underwent 7 days of modified fasting therapy.

The research team measured the clinical efficacy biomarkers, safety indicators, and body composition before and after fasting.

Participants who underwent modified fasting therapy showed a substantial decrease in body weight, body mass index, abdominal circumference, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. They also demonstrated improvements in blood glucose and indicators of body composition to various extents (p<0.05 for all).

Notably, a small increase was observed in liver function, kidney function, uric acid, electrolytes, blood count, coagulation, and uric biomarkers. In a subgroup analysis, modified fasting therapy also provided protective benefits against cardiovascular diseases.

“At present this study is the largest retrospective population-based study about modified fasting therapy,” the researchers said. “It led to improvements in physical health and body weight-associated indicators, as well as body composition and relevant cardiovascular risk factors.”