According to researchers at the Heart Institute of the Intermountain Medical Center in Utah (USA), fasting not only reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, but also leads to significant improvements in cholesterol levels. The study was presented at the annual congress of the American College of Cardiology, held in New Orleans.
In 2007, a survey conducted among Mormons—whose religious tradition includes a 24-hour fast on the first Sunday of each month—revealed a 39% lower risk of developing coronary diseases compared to those who did not fast. The same research team confirmed these benefits through two studies involving over 200 individuals, including patients from the Intermountain Center and healthy volunteers.
Some participants fasted for 24 hours, consuming only water, followed by 24 hours of a normal diet. During the protocol, researchers monitored clinical parameters, blood tests, and cardiometabolic risk indicators.
The results showed a 14% increase in LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) and a 6% increase in HDL (“good” cholesterol), with an overall rise in circulating cholesterol. “During fasting, the body releases more cholesterol to use fat as an energy source instead of glucose,” explains Benjamin Horne, co-author of the study. This mechanism reduces the number of adipocytes (fat cells), with positive effects on hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance, and diabetes risk.
The study, conducted on over 4,500 individuals (90% of whom were Mormons), also considered abstention from tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine. However, the benefits of fasting extended to participants of other religions as well. A subsequent study on the general population confirmed these findings.
Although the positive effects of fasting are now widely recognized, experts recommend practicing it consciously and periodically – preferably in contact with nature – accompanied by regular physical activity, a sober diet, reduced alcohol consumption, and complete abstention from tobacco.
