BIOCHEMISTRY AND ENDOCRINE CHANGES AFTER A 6-WEEK MEDITERRANEAN DIET INTERVENTION WITH FASTING FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Abstract

Fasting may be effective for reducing weight and improving health. We analysed the effect of a Mediterranean diet intervention, with a 5-day semi-fast, on inflammation, blood lipids and carbohydrate metabolism in overweight type II (BMI>27-30) or obesity (BMI>30-40). Glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-/LDL-cholesterol, albumin, AST-GOT, ALT-SGTP, C-reactive protein, insulin, IGF-1, T3, T4 and TSH were monitored, during a 6-week period, in 42 subjects with overweight type-II/obesity, between the ages of 30-65. Glucose, triglycerides, insulin, AST, IGF-1 and T3 values were not significantly decreased (p>0.05) during fasting and non-fasting diets, while albumin and T4 increased in both groups. C-reactive protein decreased significantly when fasting but increased when not. Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and ALT (p0.05) were found for total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and TSH in the Control group. Fasting resulted in greater insulin sensitivity and reduced levels of body fat, IGF-I, insulin, glucose, atherogenic lipids and inflammation.

Keywords

• fasting
• Mediterranean diet
• inflammation
• lipids
• glicemic
• weight loss