Clinical Trial Shows Benefits of Intermittent Fasting in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome and Prediabetes - Video

Risk factors attributing to the metabolic syndrome include elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

In a recent collaborative clinical trial entitled TIMET, researchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the Salk Institute found that a form of intermittent fasting, called time-restricted eating, could improve the health of participants diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and have prediabetes.

The study, published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, demonstrated significant improvements in key markers of cardiometabolic health, including blood sugar and cholesterol and lower levels of hemoglobin A1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar management.

“Metabolic syndrome, especially when paired with prediabetes, represents a critical tipping point in which the risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease is greatly increased,” said Pam Taub, MD, co-corresponding author of the study and professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “We’re hopeful the findings of this study can help others who are looking to address their metabolic syndrome and reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes.”

The TIMET study is the first to evaluate the benefits of a customized time-restricted eating schedule in patients taking medication for metabolic syndrome.

In the trial, 108 adult patients of UC San Diego Health with metabolic syndrome were randomized into either a time-restricted eating group or a control group. Both groups continued to receive standard-of-care treatments and underwent nutritional counseling on the Mediterranean diet. All participants logged their meals using the myCircadianClock mobile app, developed at the Salk Institute, which was then reviewed by trial researchers.

For the time-restricted eating group, protocols were customized to each participant’s eating habits, sleep/wake schedules and personal commitments. The resulting regimen had each person reduce their eating window to 10 hours per day, beginning at least one hour after waking up and ending at least three hours before going to sleep.

After three months, patients who had completed the time-restricted eating regimen showed significant improvements in key indicators of heart health. The reduction was similar in scale to what is typically achieved through more intensive interventions by the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

“Our bodies actually process sugars and fats very differently depending on the time of day,” said Satchidananda Panda, PhD, co-corresponding author of the study and professor at the Salk Institute. “In time-restricted eating, we are re-engaging the body’s natural wisdom and harnessing its daily circadian rhythms to restore metabolism and improve health.”

Reference: Emily N.C. Manoogian, Michael J. Wilkinson, Monica O’Neal, et al. Time-Restricted Eating in Adults With Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Intern Med. [Epub 1 October 2024]. doi:10.7326/M24-0859