Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 – Good or Bad?
Intermittent fasting has taken the diet and nutrition worlds by storm, but is it right for you if you are a woman over the age of 50?
In this article and video, I share the results of a large study that might make you rethink your eating schedule.
Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 [Video]
In this video, I share what research says about the effects of fasting on pre- and post-menopausal women.
You’ll learn how Intermittent Fasting rates when it comes to…
- Belly Fat
- Metabolic Syndrome (a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes)
- Muscle & Joint Health
- Bone Health
- Mood
- Depression
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is simply a way of adjusting your daily eating schedule to include a period of eating and fasting.
To be successful with Intermittent Fasting, you need to pay attention to the clock and consume all of your calories within a period known as your “eating window.”
Want to learn how to make Intermittent Fasting work for your lifestyle? Read and watch my 3 Ways to Do Intermittent Fasting: Easy, Medium, Extreme.
Intermittent Fasting and Women’s Health
In 2016, a couple of researchers did a comprehensive search of the studies published on fasting, women’s health, and aging, and then published what they found in the Journal of Midlife Health.
These types or review studies are nice to learn from because they help cut down on biases from small studies that may have gotten paid by a special interest group to perform the research.
So, what you end up with is the big picture of the results from many studies performed over many years.
This big-picture was very positive in all aspects of women’s health from weight loss, to physical health to mental health.
Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 – Weight Loss
One of their conclusions from the above-mentioned study was that fasting was successful in helping older women lose belly fat.
Belly fat is a concern for many post-menopausal women, not only for appearance but also for health.
The reduction in belly fat that resulted from intermittent fasting helped the women to reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of health issues that increase a post-menopausal woman’s risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
IF Improves Muscle and Joint Health
The researchers also found that fasting improved muscle and joint health, so things like arthritic symptoms and low back pain were not as pronounced.
And a few of the studies they reviewed showed that periods of fasting affected the way your body produces hormones that affect bone minerals like calcium and phosphate, so there was some indication linking periods of fasting to improved bone health.
Intermittent Fasting and Cancer in Older Women
Fasting for different lengths of time also helped middle-aged women reduce their risk of serious diseases with much of the research focused on the positive effects fasting has on cancer.
The study stated that fasting seems to inhibit some of the pathways that lead to cancer and can also slow the growth of tumors.
Intermittent Fasting and Depression
The review study also took into consideration mental health aspects and highlighted many studies showing that women who practice different fasting techniques saw improvement in their moods and self-esteem and a decrease in anxiety and depression.
What’s The Downside of Intermittent Fasting For Women Over 50?
The review of the scientific literature didn’t seem to have much to say about a downside of intermittent fasting for women over 50 other than stating that there was a need for future studies, which you often hear in research.
So overall, findings are very positive, and the researchers concluded that fasting is a safe medical intervention for pre- and post-menopausal women.
How To Do Intermittent Fasting
If you’d like to figure out how to make intermittent fasting fit into your diet routine, I have a video and blog post that walks you through three ways to do intermittent fasting.
About the Author
Dr. Becky Gillaspy, DC graduated Summa Cum Laude with research honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1991.