Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Effects
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 666
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Molecular Metabolism and Precision Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
Interests: diabetes; obesity; nutrition; metabolism; chronobiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Intermittent fasting (IF) is increasingly recognized for its broad impacts on human metabolism, including improvements in insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, lipid handling and lipoprotein profiles, hepatic fat and de novo lipogenesis, ketone biology, metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial function, and circadian metabolic regulation. Diverse protocols—such as time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, and 5:2—may produce distinct metabolic signatures depending on timing, duration, energy balance, diet quality, and interactions with physical activity. Yet important questions remain regarding protocol specificity, the durability of effects, nutrient adequacy and body composition, medication management, and personalization across populations. This Special Issue of Nutrients seeks to integrate mechanistic, clinical, and translational evidence to clarify how IF modulates metabolism and guide safe and effective practice.
We invite authors worldwide to submit original research and reviews, including randomized and pragmatic trials, observational studies, secondary analyses, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and methodological papers addressing topics such as the following:
- Glucose–insulin dynamics;
- Lipid metabolism and lipoproteins;
- Hepatic metabolism;
- Adipose tissue biology;
- Skeletal muscle metabolism;
- Ketone production and signaling;
- Metabolic flexibility and energy expenditure;
- Cellular and molecular pathways;
- Microbiome and multi-omics;
- Circadian and chrono-metabolic biology;
- Comparative effectiveness of IF regimens versus continuous energy restriction;
- Role of macronutrient quality and daily distribution;
- Body composition;
- Special populations and pharmacotherapy;
- Digital health and biomarkers;
- Fasting-mimicking diets and caloric restriction mimetics in relation to metabolic endpoints.
We seek contributions that advance rigorous, transparent, and impactful science on intermittent fasting and metabolic effects and look forward to hearing from you.
Prof. Dr. Olga Pivovarova-Ramich
Guest Editor
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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
- caloric restriction
- metabolic syndrome
- obesity
- diabetes
- cardiovascular diseases
- eating timing
- circadian clocks
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
