Short-term intermittent fasting and energy restriction do not impair rates of muscle protein synthesis: A randomised, controlled dietary intervention

Background

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an effective energy restricted dietary strategy to reduce body and fat mass and improve metabolic health in individuals with either an overweight or obese status. However, dietary energy restriction may impair muscle protein synthesis (MPS) resulting in a concomitant decline in lean body mass. Due to periods of prolonged fasting combined with irregular meal intake, we hypothesised that IF would reduce rates of MPS compared to an energy balanced diet with regular meal patterns.

Aims

We assessed the impact of a short-term, ten days, alternate day fasting or a continuous energy restricted diet to a control diet on integrated rates of skeletal MPS in middle-aged males with overweight or obesity.

Methods

Twenty-seven middle-aged males with overweight or obesity (age: 44.6 ± 5.4 y; BMI: 30.3 ± 2.6 kg/m²) consumed a three-day lead-in diet, followed by a ten-day controlled dietary intervention matched for protein intake, as alternate day fasting (ADF: 62.5 energy (En)%, days of 25 En% alternated with days of 100 En% food ingestion), continuous energy restriction (CER: 62.5 En%), or an energy balanced, control diet (CON: 100 En%). Deuterated water (D₂O) methodology with saliva, blood, and skeletal muscle sampling were used to assess integrated rates of MPS over the ten-day intervention period. Secondary measures included fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and gastrointestinal hormone concentrations, continuous glucose monitoring, and assessment of body composition.

Results

There were no differences in daily rates of MPS between groups (ADF: 1.18 ± 0.13, CER: 1.13 ± 0.16, and CON: 1.18 ± 0.18 %/day, P > 0.05). The reductions in body mass were greater in ADF and CER compared to CON (P < 0.001). Lean and fat mass were decreased by a similar magnitude across groups (main time effect, P < 0.001; main group effect, P > 0.05). Fasting plasma leptin concentrations decreased in ADF and CER (P < 0.001), with no differences in fasting plasma glucose or insulin concentrations between groups.

Conclusion

Short-term alternate day fasting does not lower rates of MPS compared to continuous energy restriction or an energy balanced, control diet with matched protein intake. The prolonged effects of IF and periods of irregular energy and protein intake patterns on muscle mass maintenance remain to be investigated. This trial was registered under Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.anzctr.org.au), identifier no. ACTRN12619000757112.