Intermittent fasting has gained attention as a simple and effective way to manage weight, and research suggests it has several other health benefits. However, recent analyzes have raised questions about whether this common dietary pattern is heart-healthy.

This week, the American Heart Association released a study that found a link between periods of fasting throughout the day and significantly higher rates of fatal cardiovascular disease. Here’s what you need to know about this eye-opening study.

Latest research on intermittent fasting and heart disease

There are several intermittent fasting methods that have become popular in recent years, all of which recommend restricting calorie intake to specific times of the day or week. For example, the 5:2 diet requires you to eat normally for five days of the week and limit your intake to 500 to 600 calories the other two days. The 16:8 diet, on the other hand, involves fasting for 16 hours each day. And the time frame for meals is 8 hours.

This particular study looked at data collected by the Centers for Disease Control’s national survey, which included responses from 20,000 adults about their dietary habits. Researchers found that people who restricted their eating to less than eight hours a day had a 91 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who ate over 12 to 16 hours.

“The results of our study encourage a more careful and individualized approach to dietary recommendations, ensuring they are consistent with individual health conditions and the latest scientific evidence. ,” said study author and university professor Dr. Victor Wenze Zhong. The Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai said in a news release.

the authors did not say how While fasting may be linked to heart disease, Dr. Benjamin Horn of Intermountain Health University told NBC that it may be related to the stress it puts on the body. Fasting can put your body into survival mode, leading to an increase in certain stress hormones like cortisol, which can increase the short-term risk of heart disease in older adults and people with chronic health conditions, Dr. Horn said. says.

The study has not yet been peer-reviewed or published, and some scientists believe that intermittent fasting is not recommended for diets, especially when other studies have linked intermittent fasting to benefits ranging from improved memory to reduced inflammation. He warns against hasty criticism.

“While informative, this study should be considered exploratory,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholtz, a cardiologist and scientist at Yale University. status. “We are still learning about how people can optimize their diets. This study is not so much a scaremonger for people who think dietary restriction is a useful strategy as it is an invitation for further research. It’s a calling.”

Previous research on Intermittent fasting and heart health

The concept of dietary restrictions is not new, in fact, it may be as old as we are. Some experts believe that intermittent fasting was probably practiced by early humans and that our bodies were designed by evolution to consume food in this way.

Research shows that regular fasting triggers a metabolic process called ketosis, which occurs when your body runs out of glucose and starts burning fat. (This is where the popular keto diet gets its name.) This is why it’s touted by some as a powerful way to lose weight, but scientists also highlight other potential benefits. I’m starting to.

Previous studies have linked it to a lower risk of diabetes, lower inflammation rates, longer lifespans, and even improved heart health. Several studies have found that intermittent fasting is associated with lower blood pressure and a reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad cholesterol.” But skipping breakfast, which many people end up doing when practicing intermittent fasting, is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and death. We still know little about the effects of fasting on our bodies, and in light of these recent findings, Dr. Penny Chris Etherton, a member of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee, recommends caution. I am.

“We may consider pausing intermittent fasting until we have more information or the study results are better explained,” she told NBC.