Intermittent fasting, also known as time-restricted eating, focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat. It involves restricting your eating window to a specific time period, ranging from hours to an entire day. While some studies have suggested potential benefits like lower blood pressure and weight loss, recent research indicates possible risks.

A study presented at the American Heart Association's scientific sessions in Chicago claimed that intermittent fasting could significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular death. The research, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, found that limiting food consumption to less than eight hours per day could raise the chances of dying from cardiovascular disease by 91 percent. The data was collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with researchers reviewing the dietary habits of 20,000 adults over at least two days and tracking cardiovascular-related deaths after about eight years.

Victor Wenze Zhong, co-author of the analysis, advises caution in interpreting these results. He suggests that short-term intermittent fasting (around three months) may still offer benefits for weight loss and cardiometabolic health. However, he emphasizes the need for extreme caution when practicing intermittent fasting for extended periods. The reasons for the link between intermittent fasting and cardiovascular death risk remain unclear.

Zhong noted that individuals who restrict their eating to fewer than eight hours daily tend to have lower lean muscle mass compared to those with longer eating windows. Lower lean muscle mass is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death. Dr. Benjamin Horne, a research professor at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, added that fasting elevates stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, potentially increasing the risk of heart problems.