AMA #72: Fasting: benefits for body composition and disease prevention, potential risks, and Peter's updated practical framework

AMA #72:禁食:对身体成分和疾病预防的好处,潜在风险,以及彼得更新的实用框架

The Peter Attia Drive

2025-06-16

19 分钟
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单集简介 ...

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter revisits the topic of fasting, sharing how his thinking has evolved over time. The episode explores fasting-related terminology and common types of fasting, as well as the various reasons individuals might choose to fast. Peter explores potential benefits including improvements in body composition, metabolic health, lifespan extension, cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention and treatment, neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and autoimmune symptoms like arthritis. He also examines the risks and potential downsides of fasting and offers a practical framework to help assess when and how fasting may be most appropriately applied. If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #72 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here. We discuss: Why the topic of fasting is being revisited [1:45]; The importance of being open to changing one's opinion in science and medicine as new evidence emerges [4:15]; Defining fasting and how it fits in the framework of dietary restriction, time-restricted feeding, and calorie restriction [7:30]; The most common types of fasting [11:45]; Why someone might choose fasting over continuous caloric restriction [19:00]; The biochemical effects of fasting: fuel partitioning, autophagy, and more [21:00]; Autophagy: a cellular cleanup process stimulated by fasting and energy depletion [26:00]; Comparing the physiological effects of a ketogenic diet to those of long-term fasting [27:45]; How long fasting takes to induce ketosis and boost autophagy, and how autophagy is measured [29:45]; At-home tests for ketones [33:45]; Reducing senescent ("zombie") cells and inflammation through autophagy [35:00]; Examining the evidence for the long-term health benefits of fasting beyond short-term metabolic effects [37:15]; The common health claims associated with fasting across metabolic, neurological, oncological, autoimmune, and longevity domains [40:30]; The impact of fasting on body weight and body composition [42:00]; Weight regain and potential metabolic consequences of fasting [44:00]; The risk of lean mass loss with fasting and how to mitigate it [47:15]; A practical framework for using fasting as a strategy to improve body composition [52:15]; How extended fasting compares to caloric restriction in improving insulin sensitivity in people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes [54:00]; Is there any evidence that fasting can extend lifespan? [55:45]; Examining whether fasting improves cardiovascular disease risk beyond the effects of weight loss and calorie reduction [58:15]; Exploring whether prolonged fasting can reduce cancer risk [59:45]; The potential benefits of fasting or fasting-mimicking diets during cancer treatment: emerging evidence and practical considerations [1:02:15]; Fasting for protection against neurodegenerative diseases: early evidence of therapeutic benefit and open questions [1:10:45]; Various fasting methods for autoimmune diseases: potential symptom relief with cautious application [1:14:00]; Fasting and type 1 diabetes: risks, evidence, and careful dietary alternatives [1:16:45]; Fasting and gut disorders: potential benefits outside of flare-ups [1:18:45]; The primary risks and downsides associated with fasting [1:19:45]; The essential vitamins and minerals to supplement during prolonged fasting [1:21:30]; Who should avoid fasting and why [1:22:15]; Fasting's role in health: where it shows promise and where it likely offers no distinct advantage over caloric restriction [1:23:45]; and More. Connect With Peter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
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单集文稿 ...

  • Hey everyone, welcome to a sneak peek Ask Me Anything or AMA episode of the Drive podcast.

  • I'm your host, Peter Atia.

  • At the end of this short episode, I'll explain how you can access the AMA episodes in full,

  • along with a ton of other membership benefits we've created.

  • Or you can learn more now by going to peteratiamd.com forward slash subscribe.

  • So without further delay, here's today's sneak peek of the Ask Me Anything episode.

  • Welcome to Ask Me Anything AMA Episode 72.

  • For today's AMA,

  • we focus on a topic we initially covered all the way back in AMA 11 in January 2020,

  • which is all things relating to fasting.

  • This is a topic in which my thinking has evolved greatly,

  • as well as one that we get an almost infinite number of questions about from our subscribers.

  • In this episode, we discuss the various types of fasting,

  • which oftentimes can be used interchangeably but actually can mean very different things.

  • We talk about the reasons why people might fast and its potential benefits,

  • focusing on body composition, metabolic health, overall lifespan extension,

  • cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, cancer treatment, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease,

  • along with various autoimmune symptoms, including arthritis and more.

  • We talk about the potential negative aspects of fasting that everyone should be aware of.

  • And finally, we wrap it up with a framework to help you think about this for yourself.