The study noted: “Fasting has long been used under historical and experimental conditions and has recently been popularised by 'intermittent fasting' or 'modified fasting' regimes, in which a very low-calorie allowance is allowed, on alternate days (ADF) or two days a week (5:2 diet), where 'normal' eating is resumed on non-diet days. In another study, fasting for weight loss as an effective strategy or a dieting trend was further investigated. “Thus, fasting regimens that induce the metabolic switch have the potential to improve body composition in overweight individuals.” “Emerging findings suggest that the metabolic switch from glucose to fatty acid-derived ketones represents an evolutionarily conserved trigger point that shifts metabolism from lipid/cholesterol synthesis and fat storage to mobilization of fat through fatty acid oxidation and fatty acid-derived ketones, which serve to preserve muscle mass and function.

The study noted: “This review is focused on the physiological responses of major organ systems, including the musculoskeletal system, to the onset of the metabolic switch: the point of negative energy balance at which liver glycogen stores are depleted and fatty acids are mobilized (typically beyond 12 hours after cessation of food intake).

In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, flipping the metabolic switch and understanding the health benefits of how fasting can help with fat burning was investigated.

Eat. Stop. Eat by Brad Pilon