Following Alternate-Day Fasting Diet Can Benefit People With Fatty Liver Disease

A study found that 16:8 intermittent fasting was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death. Melinda Nagy/Shutterstock

When it comes to treating certain health conditions, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, traditional diet and exercise plans aren’t realistic options for everyone. Alternate-day fasting (ADF) is a safe and effective form of intermittent fasting that provides patients with another way to improve their overall health and well-being, a recent study suggests.

Here, we will explore what alternate-day fasting is all about and its potential benefits for those dealing with liver fat.

What Is Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs when there’s a buildup of oily fat deposits in the liver. To make matters worse, this accumulation of fat causes inflammation and can lead to organ damage over time. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects those who drink in moderation or abstain from alcohol altogether.

If left unchecked, NAFLD can lead to complications such as liver failure or cirrhosis. It’s often linked to obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which is why regular activity and healthy eating habits are important steps to reducing the risk of developing this condition.

What Is Alternate-Day Fasting?

ADF has become a popular way to lose weight and improve overall health. It’s a type of intermittent fasting whereby individuals fast every other day. During the days when an individual is fasting, they may eat little to no food, typically 500 calories or less on that day.

On the days when they aren’t fasting, they can eat normally. This way of dieting can provide many benefits due to short-term calorie restriction and reduced inflammation in the body. Studies have shown that alternate-day fasting can result in weight loss over time and improved overall health, including the reduction of cholesterol levels and improved insulin sensitivity.

The Study

The recent study, published in Cell Metabolism in January, involved organizing participants into one of four groups: an alternate-day fasting group, an aerobic exercise group, a combined group, and a control group (in which participants made no changes to their lifestyle behaviors). Participants in the exercise groups used an elliptical machine in a lab for one hour, five days per week, and those in the diet groups tracked their food intake.

The findings were “pretty amazing,” study author Krista Varady said in a University of Illinois–Chicago article.

“When we compared the results of our study groups, we saw clearly that the most improved patients were in the group that followed the alternate-day fasting diet and exercised five days a week. The people who only dieted or only exercised did not see the same improvements, which reinforces the importance of these two relatively inexpensive lifestyle modifications on overall health and on combating chronic diseases like fatty liver disease.”

The study found that hepatic steatosis was reduced by a significant 5.5 percent.

“Body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference also decreased,” the study authors noted.

Insulin sensitivity also increased.

Researchers also noted that there were no serious safety events during the trial and that all participants were able to maintain the exercise and diet regimens for the three-month study.

The study results indicate that alternate-day fasting could be an effective option for people with fatty liver disease who want to improve their health without using medications by losing weight and eating healthier.

This article was originally published in BelMarraHealth.com