07.06.21 - Update information:

Question: Dr. Karp I have some questions about intermittent fasting.  Is it dangerous on your liver?  I have been trying it for a year and have lost some weight but I am hearing some negativity about it. 

Answer: When I search the literature for toxic effect of intermittent fasting on liver function, I did not find any articles on this....so, that doesn't seem to be an issue.  This is different compared to prolonged fasting, which may have liver effects.

However, more recent data shows the intermittent fasting does NOT result in long term weight loss for most people....eating fewer meals and fewer calories does... "Conclusions: Number of daily meals was positively associated with weight change over 6 years. Our findings did not support the use of time‐restricted eating as a strategy for long‐term weight loss in a general medical population."  2023 American Heart Association Article