Intermittent fasting: Is it beneficial for health?

During evolution, animals, including humans, developed in conditions of relative food scarcity. Adapting to such life circumstances, they developed adaptive metabolic changes that allowed them to function well even during periods when food was not available. Intermittent fasting (IF) encompasses eating patterns in which individuals refrain from consuming nutrients for extended periods or consume them in small quantities with alternating periods of normal food intake. IF has become an increasingly popular dietary practice, and its application can be found in various cultural, spiritual, religious, and health traditions throughout human civilization. New evidence has shown that the health benefits of IF extend beyond caloric restriction and weight loss. These benefits include metabolic changes in energy production and overall improvement in physiological markers of metabolic health. It is believed that IF reduces systemic inflammation and plays a role in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. In this paper, we aim to review available discussions on the physiological significance and impact of intermittent fasting on health.