Study warns people who fast are at 'higher risk of death,' here is what experts say

A recent study of over 20,000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease, Newsroom reported. 

According to the study, people with heart disease or cancer also had an increased risk of cardiovascular death. Compared with a standard schedule of eating across 12-16 hours per day, limiting food intake to less than 8 hours per day was not associated with living longer.

However, experts say that individuals who follow intermittent fasting diet during Ramadan limit the times of the day they eat, but they are not required to stop eating some foods or to restrict the calorie content of the diet.

Intermittent fasting is a different way of eliminating calories from a diet. The numerous studies were mostly done on animals not humans for intermittent fasting. Hence, the outcomes of researches conducted on intermittent fasting have been mixed.

Moreover, it ranks on par or even better than the calorie restriction for the weight loss as suggested by some studies.

Another advantage of intermittent fasting is associated with an increased lifespan and a healthier body. In addition, according to certain trials, it might promote insulin resistance to prevent or fight diabetes.

It also holds for blood pressure keeping triglycerides and cholesterol in check to the heart wellness.

While it is not the cause of death, intermittent fasting may just be a predictor of death as described in the statement made by Victor Wenze Zhong, the chairperson, department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Still, this type of fasting is not necessarily fatal but it may bring about a lot of health problems.

"Short-term fasting can kick off the same fat-burning mechanisms like keto diets, which have been linked to negative health issues when used for a long time. A few studies suggest that a 24-hour fast might lead to muscle loss", emphasised Courtney Peterson, an associate professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama Birmingham, when talking to Yahoo Life.