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History of Intermittent Fasting
While intermittent fasting itself is fairly new, the origins of fasting are far reaching, with numerous cultures participating for political and religious reasons. Additionally, fasting was promoted as beneficial to health by doctors and patients who had seen positive results. Early studies were done on non-obese folks for fasting periods upwards 30 days to observe effects with shipwrecked at sea. Fasting was also used as a means for weight loss in obese patients, where short periods of starvation were used as safe, effective means of weight loss. More recently, intermittent fasting was first popularized by Brad Pilon, who has a background in the fitness supplement industry and studied extensively the metabolic effects of short-term intermittent fasting. He popularized the feet in his book, “Eat Stop Eat”, stating that it is more sustainable than traditional diets. "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" is a documentary released on BBC that also helped expose many people to intermittent fasting.

Intermittent Fasting and Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting has been shown to aid in weight loss in humans. In males who participate in exercise, an intermittent fasting regimen was found to decrease fat mass while maintaining muscle composition. Similar studies in both animals have shown improvement in metabolic function when eating was restricted according to timed intervals and natural circadian rhythms. However, intermittent fasting does not have a significant advantage in promoting weight loss and insulin sensitivity when compared to traditional caloric restriction. In terms of mental and psychological effects of fasting periods, a study in women found that periods of calorie restriction did not trigger overeating on the days following the fasting period. While individuals faced higher hunger ratings after a period of fasting, a study showed that while protein and fat intake increased after a fasting period, carbohydrate intake did not.

Other Benefits and Risks of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting in mice has been shown to yield improvements in different aspects of health, particularly development of disorders like diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Other benefits in mice have included reduced blood pressure and heart rate and increased circulation of cholesterol and triglycerides. Additionally, in humans, studies have indicated decreases in insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Scientists believe that these benefits are potentially from the effect of intermittent fasting on activation of stressed cell response signaling pathways.

However, Practicing intermittent fasting can carry a certain amount of risk for certain individuals. In one study, individuals with Type 2 diabetes who take hypoglycemic medications were found to be more hypoglycemic while practicing intermittent fasting.