Nutritional profile and biochemical parameters in intermittent fasting

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a dietary reduction strategy initially practiced during the Ramadan period when fasting from dawn to sunset. Studies in people during Ramadan practice have observed improvements in lipid profile and decreased body fat. The aim of the present study was to analyze biochemical and anthropometric parameters of women practicing regular aerobic exercise before, during and after IF, without dietary intervention. The study lasted two months, with women aged 20 to 35 years who applied the 16-hour IF protocol three times a week for 30 days, then another 30 days with a break in IF, performing daily dietary recall and aerobic exercise an hour, two or three times a week. Sociodemographic, biochemical, dietary, anthropometric and a dietary perception questionnaire were collected before, immediately after and one month after the end of fasting. At the end of the study, there was an increase in creatinine, total cholesterol, LDL and decrease in HDL levels. Weight and waist circumference also decreased, but without changes in fat percentage and without differences in food intake. Similar studies evaluating IF show an improvement in lipid profile and body weight when IF was associated with a calorie-restricted diet, highlighting the importance of performing IF with skilled professional follow-up and the need for further human studies to evaluate its effectiveness.