Intermittent fasting is becoming a very popular and effective weight loss method, but some people worry that following a warrior diet can negatively affect a woman’s reproductive hormones. A recent study published in Obesity by the University of Chicago, Illinois brings new evidence to the discussion.
The Warrior Diet Is a form of intermittent fasting, a diet that defines a time-restricted eating window of approximately 4 hours per day, during which a person can eat without counting calories, after which they resume fasting until the next day sky. It may also make your body Enter ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body gets its fuel from fat rather than sugar, according to research published in Aging Research Reviews. This meal plan promotes exercising during the day and eating less, as our ancestors might have done, followed by one large meal There is no restriction on how much or what food you eat within the time limit at night.
For the study, researchers followed a group of premenopausal and postmenopausal women who followed the Warrior Diet intermittent fasting program for 8 weeks, while perimenopausal women, typically in their 40s, were excluded from the study. Participants were divided into groups with 4-hour eating windows A 6-h eating window and a control group with no dietary restriction. The team measured differences in hormone levels by analyzing blood sample data.
After 8 weeks, the researchers found no change in the levels of the sex-binding globulin hormones, as well as testosterone and androstenedione. Sex-binding globulin hormone is a protein that carries reproductive hormones throughout the body and androstenedione is a steroid hormone used by the body Produces estrogen and testosterone.
However, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) levels were found to be significantly lower in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, with levels dropping by 14%. DHEA is a hormone commonly used to help improve ovarian function and egg quality in women. Although the largest decline Levels were found to remain within the normal range at the end of the 8-week study period. As a benefit of this reduction, high levels of DHEA have been linked to breast cancer, and a modest reduction may help reduce cancer risk in women.
“This suggests that the slight decrease in DHEA levels in premenopausal women must be weighed against the proven fertility benefits of lower body weight,” Varady said. “Falling DHEA levels in postmenopausal women may be worrisome because menopause already causes a sharp drop Among estrogens, DHEA is the main component of estrogen. However, a survey of participants reported no side effects, such as sexual dysfunction or skin changes, associated with low postmenopausal estrogen levels. ”
Estradiol estrone and progesterone levels were also measured, but only in postmenopausal women because levels of these hormones change throughout the menstrual cycle in premenopausal women. The results showed that there was no change in these hormones, which are all essential for the human body. 8 weeks pregnant.
The 4- and 6-hour eating window groups lost 3-4% of their body weight compared to the control group, which lost little to no weight. Those in the fed window group also experienced reductions in biomarkers of insulin resistance and oxidative stress.
“I think this is a great first step. We looked at thousands of premenopausal and postmenopausal women with different strategies of alternate-day fasting and time-restricted eating. All it did was get people to eat less. By shortening eating time, you naturally Cut down on calories. Much of the negative information about intermittent fasting comes from studies on mice or rats. We need more research to understand the effects of intermittent fasting in humans,” Varady said.
Like anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please consult your physician or primary care provider before changing your health habits. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, advice on treatment or endorsement.