Effects of Fasting & Time Restricted Eating on Fat Loss & Health | Episode 41

Huberman Lab

Podcast Notes Key Takeaways Sleep-related fasting is particularly important for repair functions in the gut, brain, liver – and can be optimized by not eating 2-3 hours before bedTenants of ideal time-restricted feeding: (1) delay the first meal at least one hour after waking; (2) don’t eat within 2-3 hours of bedtime; (3) stick to a consistent schedule every dayThe best target feeding window is 8 hours; shorter windows between 4-6 hours tend to lead to overeatingConsistency is best: a feeding window you can stick to in the context of social and life balance is best – if you’re new, try a 12pm-8pm window where no calories are consumed before 12pm and after 8pmFrom a pure health objective standpoint, it would be best to keep feeding to the middle of the day, i.e., 10am-6pm but this is difficult to sustain sociallyOne meal per day eating seems to lend itself to weight loss but is less likely to be sustained over timeTo enhance muscle growth, consume protein early in the day – ideally by 10am (which can be difficult considering 8-hour target window)If you’re feeling weak during fast, some salt in water can have a stabilizing effect on blood glucose and give you a boost

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org



This episode I discuss the science and practice of fasting also called time-restricted feeding. I review the data on how limiting food intake to specific portions of every 24-hour cycle (or fasting longer) impacts weight loss, fat loss specifically, liver health, mental focus, muscle, longevity and more. I explain how "fasted" is contextual, and relates to blood glucose levels and their downstream effects, and how the depth of fasting can be adjusted with behaviors such as different types of exercise, or with glucose disposal agents. I also discuss the optimal fasting protocol: and both the absolute (non-negotiable) and variable (contextual) features of a fasting/time-restricted-feeding protocol that will allow you to get the most benefits. I also discuss what does and does not break a fast, the effects of fasting on hormones like testosterone and cortisol and on fertility. I also review how different feeding windows of 8 or 10 or 4 hours differentially impact the effects of fasting, and why the classic 8 hour feeding window came to be but also might be ideal. I discuss mechanisms and offer tools to discern the optimal fasting duration and timing for you.

 

Thank you to our sponsors:

ROKA - https://www.roka.com -- code: "huberman" InsideTracker - https://www.insidetracker.com/huberman Helix Sleep - https://www.helixsleep.com/huberman 

 

RETHINK EDUCATION: The Biology of Learning Featuring Dr. Andrew Huberman

https://youtu.be/Oo7hQapFe3M

 

Our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/andrewhuberman

 

Supplements from Thorne:

http://www.thorne.com/u/huberman

 

Social:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab  Twitter - https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab  Website - https://hubermanlab.com Newsletter - https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network 

 

Links: Comprehensive Review On Fasting In Humans: https://bit.ly/3BwIyd7

 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction, Blood Glucose & Mortality, Mice Vs. Humans 00:06:02 Sponsors: Roka, InsideTracker, Helix 00:09:42 Neuroplasticity Protocols & Online Lecture https://youtu.be/Oo7hQapFe3M  00:11:20 Feeding, Fasting, Performance 00:13:50 Calories-In, Calories-Out (CICO); Perfect Diets 00:19:48 Feeding-Induced Health Conditions  00:25:33 Time Restricted Eating: When We Eat Is Vital 00:29:45 The Eight Hour Feeding Window  00:31:26 Feeding Deep Into the Night Is Bad (In Humans) 00:36:33 Liver Health 00:39:45 Time Restricted Feeding Protocol: Rules 00:41:35 When to Start & Stop Eating 00:45:38 Gastric Clearance, Linking Fasting to Sleep 00:52:35 Effects of Specific Categories of Food 00:55:40 Precision In Fasting: Protocol Build 00:59:30 4-6 Hour Feeding Windows 01:03:08 Protein Consumption & Timing for Muscle 01:08:13 How to Shift Your Eating Window 01:13:20 Glucose Clearing, Exercise & Compounds 01:22:37 Blood Glucose: Monitoring, mTOR & Related Pathways 01:27:40 Gut Health: Fasting, Clock Genes and Microbiota 01:29:15 Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver  01:32:00 Effects of Fasting on Hormones: Testosterone, Cortisol 01:38:40 Fertility 01:41:50 8-Hour Feeding Window: Weight Loss Without Calorie Counting 01:43:20 Eating Every-Other-Day  01:45:29 Adherence 01:47:15 Mental Focus & Clarity 01:49:12 Enhancing Weight Loss from Body Fat: Hepatic Lipase 01:53:15 What Breaks a Fast? Rules & Context 01:58:50 Artificial Sweeteners, Plant-Based Sweeteners 02:01:42 Glucose Clearing II, Cinnamon, Acidity, Salt 02:06:42 My Circadian Clock, Zero-App  02:08:20 Odd (But Common) Questions 02:09:23 Effects of Sauna & Dehydration on Blood Glucose 02:11:12 The Ideal Fasting Protocol  02:24:00 More Resources, Ways to Support Us, Supplements

Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.

 

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com