Honey, I Shrunk the Eating Window: The Surprising Impact on Blood Pressure

Hello everyone, here is another weekly piece of easily digestible science research which you can immediately use at home to lower blood pressure. It is based on the research in “Cell Metabolism” [1]. You will find more details in the audio version and a short text summary below. Enjoy!

What is Time-Restricted Eating (TRE)?

TRE is a form of intermittent fasting that involves limiting daily food consumption to a window of 4-10 hours, while fasting for the remaining 14-20 hours. Participants can eat ad libitum (freely) within their eating window without calorie counting.

Key Themes and Findings

1. Weight Loss: TRE consistently resulted in moderate weight loss (3-5%) over 2-12 months compared to control groups. The weight loss appears to primarily stem from a decrease in fat mass rather than lean mass. "After 12 months of 8-h TRE (12–8 p.m.), one study demonstrated 5% reductions in body weight in a racially diverse group of men and women with obesity."

2. Blood Pressure: The impact of TRE on blood pressure is confirmed. Some studies report significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly in individuals with pre-existing hypertension.

3. Glycemic Control: TRE shows promise for improving glycemic control, particularly in individuals with pre-diabetes or insulin resistance. Short eating windows (4-6 hours) placed earlier in the day (before 2 p.m.) seem most effective at reducing fasting insulin and insulin resistance. "Thus, it would appear as though TRE interventions with shorter eating windows (4–6h), placed earlier in the day (before 2 p.m.), may produce the most consistent reductions in fasting insulin levels in adults with insulin resistance or pre-diabetes.

4. Adherence: TRE appears to be a feasible dietary intervention, with participants adhering to their prescribed eating windows on 5-6 days per week (70-85% of days) for up to 12 months. Adherence was slightly lower on weekends. "On average, subjects reported adhering to their prescribed eating windows on 5–6 days per week (70%–85% of days) for up to 12 months."

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Learn in this post how intermittent fasting can help to recover after a heart attack

Stay healthy and have a great day!

References:

1. Time-restricted eating: Watching the clock to treat obesity, Cell Metabolism