One in three Americans has a dysfunctional metabolism: Intermittent fasting is promising

Over one-third of U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that heightens the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. A clinical trial by the Salk Institute and UC San Diego found that time-restricted eating (intermittent fasting) can significantly benefit adults with this syndrome. Participants who consumed food within an 8-10 hour window each day for three months showed marked improvements in blood sugar regulation and metabolic function compared to those receiving standard treatments.

Published in *Annals of Internal Medicine*, this study is the first to evaluate a customized time-restricted eating schedule for patients on medication for metabolic syndrome. The results indicated improvements in key cardiometabolic markers, including blood sugar and abdominal fat. Unlike restrictive diets, this approach is easy to maintain and does not require dietary changes, making it a practical, sustainable intervention for enhancing long-term health outcomes in individuals with metabolic syndrome.