Using digital technology and data to sustain intermittent fasting and improve health outcomes: One man’s journey

It’s estimated that over 1 billion folks on the planet are affected by metabolic syndrome–which incorporates situations similar to insulin resistance, weight problems, hypertension, and excessive ldl cholesterol, amongst others.

Amongst many interventions which have been used to handle this main challenge, starting from drugs to life-style modifications, an more and more common dietary intervention has been intermittent fasting, the place energy are consumed inside a selected timeframe. Examples embody the “16:8 fasting” regime, the place energy are restricted for 16 hours adopted by an 8-hour consuming window, and longer fasts reaching over 48 hours.

Intermittent fasting has gained important consideration lately, and rising proof from varied research suggests a number of potential advantages and mechanisms.

A doable profit that may be unlocked by means of intermittent fasting is the idea of metabolic swap, the place an individual switches from utilizing sugar as their main supply of vitality to utilizing fats. When fats is damaged down, the physique reaches a metabolic state broadly often called ketosis, the place ketones are produced in its place vitality supply.

In a first-in-kind examine, Professor Dean Ho, Director of the Institute for Digital Drugs (WisDM) on the Yong Bathroom Lin College of Drugs, Nationwide College of Singapore (NUS Drugs), documented his personal journey of utilizing digital well being applied sciences, together with sensors and wearables, and intermittent fasting to delve into the idea of ketosis and its well being advantages.

The outcomes seem in PNAS Nexus.

Recognized to be a really match particular person with an extended historical past of gymnasium exercises incorporating weightlifting and cardiovascular coaching, Prof Ho can be an avid fasting fanatic.

He carried out an in depth routine that included a minimal of 20 hours of fasting per day, energy or cardiovascular coaching each morning, a “clear consuming” food regimen consisting of leafy greens, seeds, olive oil, lean protein, and different meals generally discovered within the Mediterranean food regimen, and drinks consisting of solely water, black espresso and black tea with out milk and sugar.

In the course of the experiment, Prof Ho was assessed as wholesome, with an A1c degree of 4.8%, or 29 mmol/mol—which signifies that his common blood sugar ranges over the previous three months have been regular.

Over the course of seven months from Could to November 2023, Prof Ho skilled improved well being and health outcomes, together with weight lack of round 7.5 kg, a 20% enhance in grip energy, in addition to the flexibility to carry weights which can be 10% heavier, and in addition accomplished 1,000 push-ups in beneath 40 minutes.

Prof Ho, who can be Head of the Division of Biomedical Engineering on the NUS School of Design and Engineering (NUS CDE), and Director of the NUS N.1 Institute for Well being, stated, “The expertise modified my entire idea of health. For instance, I can now carry weights that I had by no means been capable of carry 20 years in the past.

“As people are all totally different from each other, and even from themselves over time, this method represents a shift in the direction of extra personalised and interesting well being administration. By observing the dynamics in well being responses to totally different interventions, sticking to a well being routine can probably be transformed right into a game-like expertise.”

Prof Ho used a number of digital well being applied sciences to observe an array of markers together with his blood ketones, glucose, blood strain, and physique weight. The experiment confirmed that his manufacturing of ketones adopted a transparent sample that was repeatable as Prof Ho adhered to his routine on daily basis: ketones have been excessive within the morning, dropped following his exercises, and have been excessive once more previous to breaking quick within the night.

The examine revealed that ketone ranges can change rapidly in response to actions similar to fasting and train, and metabolic swap is achieved when ketones attain a threshold degree, serving as a really clear and measurable goal to achieve.

These findings level to the opportunity of personalizing well being administration on the particular person degree: visualizing one’s biomarker knowledge dynamics and progress throughout a routine can inform and incentivize customers to extend their adherence to wholesome interventions—sustaining their engagement to attain improved well being outcomes over a interval.

Whereas Prof Ho’s routine required substantial self-discipline, the method will be personalised based on a person’s preferences and habits, for sustained person engagement. That is key in reaching the specified well being outcomes.

He added, “My advice will not be for everybody to quick 20 hours a day, however relatively, to discover a schedule that’s secure and works finest for them. Initiating small habits is an effective approach to construct in the direction of a extra complete well being routine—this could embody eradicating sugar from morning espresso, after which steadily eradicating milk, and eradicating sugary meals from one’s food regimen.

“It’s key to benefit from the course of, and never bounce proper into an intense fasting routine—which be very overwhelming. Moreover, it is necessary for people with current well being situations to seek the advice of their medical doctors earlier than implementing a fasting routine.”

Dr. Peter Wang, analysis fellow at WisDM, and co-first writer of the paper, stated, “The target of this examine was to discover a sustainable method to a wholesome life-style with easy habits, similar to adhering to dietary and health regimens, that anybody can comply with and construct on. A personalised method that mixes digital applied sciences and progressive methods is important to know everybody’s intervention response longitudinally—and successfully drive and maintain habits change.”

The findings from this examine are an necessary step ahead for the rising discipline known as the “Quantified Self,” the place digital well being options present a window into the person’s personal well being. This method might encourage topics to take extra self-initiated possession of their well being outcomes.

This work additionally offers extra insights into the well being economics, scientific innovation, nursing, and group well being concerns to reinforce the attain of data-driven well being enchancment methods.

Collectively, these insights might subsequently drive preventive well being for the inhabitants and function the impetus for a bigger metabolic well being trial that Prof Ho and his workforce are planning, to check how the data of 1’s personal dynamic well being knowledge impacts behavioral change at a person degree.