Title:Dietary Effects of Fasting on the Lipid Panel
Volume: 20
Issue: 2
Author(s): Jason Hourizadeh, Rezwan Munshi, Roman Zeltser and Amgad N. Makaryus*
Affiliation:
- Department of Cardiology, Nassau
University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY, USA
- Department of Cardiology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of
Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
Keywords:
Cholesterol, lipids, fasting, diet, time-restricted eating, caloric restriction.
Abstract:
Introduction: Dietary habits, such as the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to
Stop Hypertension (DASH), have been shown to improve cardiac health. Another more recent popular
form of dieting incorporates periods of fasting known as intermittent fasting. The two main forms are
alternate-day fasting and time-restricted eating.
Methods: PubMed search and literature review was undertaken. This review evaluates the current literature
regarding the effects of the fasting dietary model and other types of fasting upon the lipid panel.
Results: There have been studies that have shown that intermittent fasting does provide a benefit in
cardiovascular health, weight loss, and hypertension. However, the effect on cholesterol and triglyceride
levels during intermittent fasting is in question.
Conclusion: The effect that fasting has on one’s lipid panel is unclear, there are studies that show that
different forms of fasting affect the lipid panel in various ways. There are studies that show that intermittent
fasting does improve one’s lipid profile and provides health benefits. Randomized controlled
clinical trials with a large sample size are needed to evaluate the effects that intermittent fasting has
based on race, ethnicity, gender, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetic and healthy patients, and will lead to
definitive evidence of lipid panel outcomes beyond current evidence based solely upon observational
cohorts with numerous and multifactorial confounding factors and biases.
