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Nutrients
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Intermittent Fasting: Health Impacts and Therapeutic Potential
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Intermittent Fasting: Health Impacts and Therapeutic Potential

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 September 2025 | Viewed by 1706

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cristina Manuela Dragoi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020956 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: biochemistry; chronobiology; drug interactions; mechanisms of action; pharmaceutical research; molecular pharmacology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alina Crenguța Nicolae

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, 020956 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: biochemistry; nutrition; drug resistance; P-glycoprotein; neuroscience; clinical research; personalized medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Intermittent fasting, a dietary regimen characterized by alternating periods of fasting and eating, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its potential health benefits, including weight reduction, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and a decreased risk of chronic illnesses (mainly cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes).

Research indicates that intermittent fasting modulates metabolic pathways by activating adaptive cellular stress responses. These responses are critical in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, promoting DNA repair and autophagy, and enhancing mitochondrial functionality. Such processes are intimately linked with the onset and progression of various types of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and atherosclerosis, suggesting that intermittent fasting may reduce the prevalence of these conditions across large populations. Moreover, intermittent fasting has been shown to elevate the production of neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory factors, thereby improving cognitive function and offering protection against age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In conclusion, intermittent fasting presents a promising nutritional strategy for the prevention and management of chronic diseases and the modulation of biological aging.

The aim of this Special Issue on “Intermittent Fasting: Health Impacts and Therapeutic Potential” is to compile studies that explore the mechanisms through which intermittent fasting may promote health and longevity. It seeks to provide an overview of the clinical significance of this dietary pattern in preventing and treating cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions from diverse fields and encourages researchers and nutrition experts to submit original research studies, review articles, and communications related to this critical health domain.

Dr. Cristina Manuela Dragoi
Dr. Alina Crenguța Nicolae
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • intermittent fasting
  • nutrition in medicine
  • cancer
  • cardio-metabolic diseases
  • oxidative stress
  • diabetes
  • insulin resistance
  • age-related diseases
  • metabolism
  • autophagy
  • inflammation
  • neurologic protection

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 632 KiB  
Article
Interrelations of Leptin and Interleukin-6 in Vitamin D Deficient and Overweight Orthodox Nuns from Northern Greece: A Pilot Study
by Spyridon N. Karras, Konstantinos Michalakis, Niki Katsiki, Maria Kypraiou, Antonios Vlastos, Marios Anemoulis, Georgios Koukoulis, Zadalla Mouslech, Filotas Talidis, Georgios Tzimagiorgis, Costas Haitoglou, Μichos Georgios, Evangelos G. Papanikolaou, Skoutas Dimitrios and Neoklis Georgopoulos
Nutrients 2025, 17(7), 1144; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071144 - 26 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Athonian fasting, a rigorous form of intermittent fasting practiced by Christian Orthodox nuns and a subset of the Mediterranean diet, has known health benefits, but its impact on the interplay of adipokines, inflammatory cytokines, and vitamin D status remains under-investigated. This study [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Athonian fasting, a rigorous form of intermittent fasting practiced by Christian Orthodox nuns and a subset of the Mediterranean diet, has known health benefits, but its impact on the interplay of adipokines, inflammatory cytokines, and vitamin D status remains under-investigated. This study aimed to elucidate these relationships within this controlled dietary context. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined the interplay of leptin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and vitamin D in 41 overweight, vitamin D-sufficient Christian Orthodox nuns practicing Athonian fasting. Anthropometric, biochemical, and inflammatory markers were assessed in the nuns (mean age 53.4 ± 17.1 years, median monastery stay 17 years, median BMI 26.8 kg/m2). Results: Analysis revealed significant positive correlations between age and monastery stay (r = 0.615, p < 0.001), age and visceral fat (ρ = 0.791, p < 0.001), age and IL-6 (ρ = 0.647, p < 0.001), and BMI and IL-6 (ρ = 0.622, p < 0.001). Strong associations existed between adiposity (BMI, body fat, visceral fat), leptin, and IL-6. Specifically, body fat showed substantial positive correlations with visceral fat (ρ = 0.858, p < 0.001), leptin (ρ = 0.538, p < 0.001), and IL-6 (ρ = 0.675, p < 0.001). Visceral fat demonstrated strong positive correlations with leptin (ρ = 0.613, p < 0.001) and IL-6 (ρ = 0.741, p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was also observed between leptin and IL-6 (ρ = 0.507, p = 0.003). Conversely, a significant negative correlation was found between 25(OH)D and PTH (ρ = −0.380, p = 0.016). Multivariate regression analysis did not reveal independent effects of leptin or IL-6 after adjusting for other factors. Conclusions: This study reveals a complex interplay of adiposity, inflammation, and vitamin D status in this unique population of Orthodox monastery fasters. The strong correlations suggest potential targets for interventions aimed at improving metabolic health. Future research should investigate the effects of vitamin D within the context of Athonian fasting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intermittent Fasting: Health Impacts and Therapeutic Potential)
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19 pages, 4436 KiB  
Article
Interaction of Cooking-Generated Aerosols on the Human Nervous System and the Impact of Caloric Restriction Post-Exposure
by Motahareh Naseri, Sahar Sadeghi, Milad Malekipirbazari, Sholpan Nurzhan, Raikhangul Gabdrashova, Zhibek Bekezhankyzy, Reza Khanbabaie, Byron Crape, Dhawal Shah and Mehdi Amouei Torkmahalleh
Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3525; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16203525 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1065
Abstract
Background: The inhalation of cooking-generated aerosols could lead to translocation to the brain and impact its function; therefore, the effects of cooking-generated aerosols on healthy adults were investigated using an electroencephalograph (EEG) during the 2 h period post-exposure. Methods: To explore any changes [...] Read more.
Background: The inhalation of cooking-generated aerosols could lead to translocation to the brain and impact its function; therefore, the effects of cooking-generated aerosols on healthy adults were investigated using an electroencephalograph (EEG) during the 2 h period post-exposure. Methods: To explore any changes from the impact of exposure to cooking-generated aerosols on the human brain due to the absence of food intake during exposure, we divided the study participants into three groups: (A) no food intake for 2 h (2 h-zero calorie intake), (B) non-zero calorie intake, and (C) control group (simulated cooking). Results: The ultrafine particle concentrations increased from 9.0 × 103 particles/cm3 at the background level to approximately 8.74 × 104 particles/cm3 during cooking. EEGs were recorded before cooking (step 1), 60 min after cooking (step 2), 90 min after cooking (step 3), and 120 min after cooking (step 4). Comparing the non-zero calorie group with the control group, it was concluded that exposure to cooking-generated aerosols resulted in a 12.82% increase in the alpha band two hours post-exposure, compared to pre-exposure. The results revealed that zero calorie intake after exposure mitigated the impacts of cooking-generated aerosols for the alpha, beta3, theta, and delta bands, while it exacerbated effects on the whole brain for the beta1 and beta2 bands. Conclusions: While these are short-term studies, long-term exposure to cooking-generated ultrafine particles can be established through successive short-term exposures. These results underscore the need for further research into the health impacts of cooking-generated aerosols and the importance of implementing strategies to mitigate exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intermittent Fasting: Health Impacts and Therapeutic Potential)
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