If the term ‘metabolism’ immediately takes your mind to weight loss, you need to get with the program, friend – it’s so much more than that.
Courtesy of Medicine Net, it’s defined as: “the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism.” So sure, in that respect, your metabolism does determine the number you see on the scale. But it’s also responsible for converting food to fuel, utilising nutrients to support growth and eliminating all our waste. Which is why it’s super important to make sure it functions as it should.
There are a ton of ways to do this: high-intensity interval training, drink more cold-water, eat spicy stuff, get a good night’s sleep… the list goes on and on. The most effective by far though is intermittent fasting.
In one study, published in the latest issue of Scientific Reports, a group of experts from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University identified a series of metabolic markers that typically decrease with age. During their research, they also concluded that IF has the ability to increase the number of these markers – which is a major win for our long-term health.
Honestly, we won’t bore you with the specifics (the study is big on scientific jargon), but here it is in layman’s terms: when we deprive the body of food over extended periods of time, metabolites like butyrates – which have anti-inflammatory properties – are released. Same goes for chemicals (such as purine and pyrimidine) which are crucial for protein synthesis and gene expression and antioxidants (molecules that prevent age-related diseases and decline).
“These are very important metabolites for maintenance of muscle and antioxidant activity, respectively,” explained the study’s lead author, Dr. Takayuki Teruya.
“This result suggests the possibility of a rejuvenating effect by fasting, which was not known until now.”
Bottom line? Fasting can definitely be useful if you’re looking to shed kgs. However, it also impacts our longevity too, and perhaps that’s the biggest benefit of all.
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