Fast diet plans, such as the one meal a day approach, are becoming increasingly popular among individuals including tech bros. Influencers in the health industry suggest that intermittent fasting can aid weight loss, increase lifespan, and even combat cancer. However, recent headlines have raised concerns about potential dangers associated with these diets such as links to heart disease and death. Science may be able to provide clarity on this conflicting information. We spoke with nutrition researchers Dr. Krista Varady and Dr. Courtney Peterson, as well as cancer researcher Professor Valter Longo to discuss the various aspects of fasting and its potential benefits and risks.

In this episode of Science Vs, we delve into the world of fasting diets. We explore whether these diets truly help burn fat, how much weight individuals typically lose with intermittent fasting, and whether it is essentially just another form of calorie restriction. Additionally, we examine the potential benefits of fasting in terms of longevity and its effectiveness in combating cancer.

This episode was produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey, Nick DelRose, Wendy Zukerman with assistance from Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, Joel Werner and Meryl Horn. Editing was done by Blythe Terrell, Caitlin Kenney and Annie-Rose Strasser with fact-checking by Eva Dasher and Michelle Dang. Mixing and sound design were handled by Peter Leonard and Bobby Lord with music by Peter Leonard Emma Munger Bumi Hidaka Bobby Lord.

We would like to thank our guests for their expertise on this topic as well as the University of Alabama Birmingham for their support in producing this podcast episode. This podcast is made possible through the generous support from listeners like you who value science-based journalism that helps us all understand how the world works better so please consider making a donation today at www dot sciencevspodcast dot com slash donate or through your favorite podcast platform so we can continue to bring you more episodes that will keep you informed about what’s happening in science today!