A recent pilot study conducted in Philadelphia explored the impact of intermittent calorie restriction on executive function and memory in overweight, cognitively intact older adults with insulin resistance. The study compared the effects of a 5:2 intermittent fasting plan to a “healthy living” diet based on portion control and calorie reduction guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The results of the study, which were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference and published in Cell Metabolism, revealed promising findings regarding the benefits of intermittent fasting on cognitive measures.
The study enrolled 40 older adults with a BMI of 27.5 or higher, with an average age of 63.2 years. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intermittent fasting group or the healthy living diet group. Both interventions lasted for 8 weeks, during which participants were monitored for changes in cognitive performance, brain metabolism, and Alzheimer’s-associated biomarkers.
Both intervention groups showed improvements in executive function and memory, with the intermittent fasting group demonstrating better results on certain cognitive measures. Participants in the intermittent fasting group consumed 480 calories per day for 2 days, followed by 5 days of a healthy living diet. This group exhibited markers of increased ketogenesis and high compliance compared to the healthy living diet group. Additionally, brain glucose levels were reduced to a greater extent with intermittent fasting.
The study findings suggest that intermittent calorie restriction may play a role in improving cognitive function, brain health, and reducing insulin resistance in older adults. The results lay the groundwork for future clinical trials to investigate the impact of various dietary interventions on brain health and overall well-being in aging populations. While previous research has established a link between insulin metabolism and Alzheimer’s risk, this study provides further evidence that dietary modifications, such as intermittent fasting, can have a positive impact on cognitive aging.
It is important to note that the study had a relatively small sample size and a short duration, which may have limited the ability to detect subtle effects over time. Additionally, the improvements in cognitive performance observed in the study may have been influenced by practice effects. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to validate the benefits of intermittent calorie restriction on brain health in older adults.
The pilot study on intermittent calorie restriction in older adults with insulin resistance provides preliminary evidence of the potential benefits of this dietary approach on cognitive function and brain health. The findings support the idea that adopting a healthy diet, including intermittent fasting, may help individuals maintain good brain health and cognitive function as they age. Future research should focus on replicating these findings in larger, more diverse populations to better understand the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on brain aging.
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