WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A randomized controlled study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, has found that time-restricted feeding, a type of intermittent fasting, can reduce symptoms and inflammation in adults with Crohn's disease who are overweight or obese.
Time-restricted feeding means eating all meals within eight hours each day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. The 12-week study involved 35 adults with Crohn's disease who were overweight or obese. Of these, 20 followed time-restricted feeding, while 15 continued with their regular diet. Researchers measured disease symptoms, inflammation, and body composition at the beginning and end of the trial.
The trial, led by the University of Calgary, is the first to show that eating only within an eight-hour daily window can lower Crohn's disease activity by 40 percent and reduce abdominal pain by 50 percent in just 12 weeks. These improvements were seen when compared with people who followed their normal eating schedule.
People who followed intermittent fasting lost an average of 5.5 pounds during the study, while those in the control group gained about 3.7 pounds. The fasting group also showed better results in blood tests linked to inflammation and immune health, including lower levels of leptin and PAI-1. These benefits occurred without reducing overall calorie intake.
In addition to easing symptoms, participants who practiced intermittent fasting had lower levels of harmful belly fat and reduced inflammatory markers in their blood. Since both groups ate similar foods and consumed nearly the same number of calories, researchers believe the benefits came from when people ate, not what or how much they ate.
'People with Crohn's disease often look for practical tools to support their health alongside medication,' concluded Natasha Haskey, Research Associate at the University of British Columbia and lead investigator in the study. 'Our research suggests time-restricted eating may be a sustainable option grounded in biology, offering patients more ways to manage their own wellness.'
Although the findings are promising, researchers added that larger studies are needed to better understand the long-term safety and effectiveness of time-restricted feeding for people living with inflammatory bowel disease.
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