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Old 05-25-2019, 08:09 PM   #1
Sabaki
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 31
Sabaki will become famous soon enough
Anabolic Power of Fasting

Over a decade ago, I was a big proponent of periodic fasting (or intermittent fasting, IF) as a method to achieve the longevity and health benefits of caloric restriction without the extremely adverse catabolic effects of continuous caloric reduction. This was long before IF became popular in the mainstream health community. Many members of DatBTrue’s forum experimented with IF and achieved impressive results, including some competitive BBers and professional athletes. Nowadays IF is touted by many doctors and health gurus as a cure for not only obesity and diabetes, but also for cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. A youtube search produces hundreds of videos on the topic. Dr. Jason Fung has written several popular books on the subject. While many of Dr. Fung’s patients were diabetic or obese, he has also had great success with elite athletes, some with very low body fat. Alot more clinical and laboratory research has now been done providing a wealth of data about the physiological effects of IF. Naturally, such a radical idea has met with great resistance within the BB community. Still, some like, Dr. Jim Stoppani have had limited success promoting the IF approach within the BB community. All of the newly available data and individual case studies have been a total vindication of early proponents like DatBTrue.

One surprising thing we now know is that not only does IF have many remarkable health benefits, but it also has great anabolic power. It can be a powerful tool to not only eradicate stubborn fat, but also to boost anabolism and increase muscle growth. I intend to explain how IF does this, by discussing the specific mechanisms and pathways involved. I’ll try to separate fact from hype as well as offer practical advice for any who may be interested in trying IF, mistakes to avoid, etc. For now, I’ll just list the most important effects in no particular order. I’ll also reserve some space to come back and explain these effects in greater detail, in the future when I have more time.

But, first I have to dispel two big myths of IF: muscle wasting and “starvation mode”. Continuous caloric restriction causes both of these effects, but IF does not. “Starvation mode” refers to the fact that in times of food scarcity the body tries to conserve energy by reducing metabolism. “Muscle wasting” refers to the fact that in the absence of other energy sources the body catabolizes the protein in existing muscle tissue to provide the energy necessary for survival. When research first came out about the health benefits of caloric restriction in animal models, some people tried to replicate these effects by dramatically restricting their own caloric intake. These human subjects soon looked very much like Auschwitz survivors, skin and bones. Even if they live longer, I can not understand why anyone would want to do this to themselves. It is important to emphasize that IF produces neither of these effects. In fact, the surprising data is now very clear that IF actually increases muscle growth, while also boosting metabolism and energy utilization, enhancing athletic performance, both strength and endurance.

Here is the list, which I may modify in the future. If other members have experience with IF, please post your experiences. Also feel free to post questions, which I will try to respond to. Remember this is a preliminary, unsystematic list in no particular order.

Dramatic increase in insulin and leptin sensitivity.
Dramatic increase in natural GH production (and other growth factors, like BDNF, etc.).
Decreased ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) production.
Increased Autophagy.
Nrf2 activation.
Increased mitochondrial biogenesis.
Reduction in chronic inflammation.
Activation of uncoupling proteins.
Improved immune system function.
Improved metabolic function including glycolysis, lipolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Ketone production.
Bolstering of natural circadian rhythms.
Stem cell activation and replenishment.
Increased catecholamine production.
Improved cognitive function, memory, focus, mental clarity, etc.
AMPK activation.
Sirtuin activation.

I believe these are some of the most important effects and mechanisms of IF.
There are, of course, many more. I’m also sure there are many other mechanisms and pathways that we still need to discover and learn more about.

Last edited by Sabaki; 05-25-2019 at 08:16 PM..
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