✨new research on intermittent fasting in women ✨
Intermittent fasting is effective for weight loss, but we have never known whether it has any effect on female hormones—until now.
A study at The University of Illinois Chicago looked at the hormonal effects in 23 obese pre- and postmenopausal women following the “warrior diet.”
The warrior diet restricts eating to a 4 or 6-hour window each day and allows only for water for the other 18-20 hours.
Here’s what they found after 8 weeks:
↔️ There were no changes in testosterone or SHBG levels in pre- or postmenopausal women
↔️ There were no changes in estrogen or progesterone levels in postmenopausal women (these weren’t tested in premenopausal)
⬇️ DHEA levels dropped by about 14% in both pre- and postmenopausal women
The women following the warrior diet did experience weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity.
The study was published in Obesity in October 2022.
The takeaway?
👉 Intermittent fasting may lower DHEA levels in women. This is a hormone that is important for fertility and as a precursor to other hormones after menopause.
We need to weigh the risks and benefits for each individual because there is no one-size fits all. Plus, we need to keep following the research as it comes out (we’ll do that part so you don’t have to!).
If you need a personalized approach to your hormones and weight, please book a consult. Appointments can be scheduled at elementsnatmed.com 🔗
Reference
Faiza Kalam, Rand T. Akasheh, Sofia Cienfuegos, et al. Effect of time‐restricted eating on sex hormone levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal females. Obesity, 2022. [link]