Intermittent Fasting Metabolism, Body Composition, Sport and Exercise Performance Interaction: Traditional Review

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 36 Sayı: 2, 148 - 161, 30.06.2025

Selin Aktitiz , Süleyman Bulut

https://doi.org/10.17644/sbd.1703172

Öz

Nowadays, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained significant attention for its role in promoting metabolic adaptations, facilitating weight loss, and influencing body composition. Various fasting regimens exist, broadly classified under the umbrella of IF. IF can be categorized into two primary approaches: (1) weekly fasting protocols, such as the 5:2 diet (involving two days of complete fasting or a 25% calorie intake) and alternate-day fasting (ADF); and (2) daily fasting protocols, including time-restricted feeding (TRF), which structures eating within specific time windows. The health benefits of IF stem from metabolic regulation, circadian rhythm alignment, modulation of the gut microbiota, and lifestyle changes. Research indicates IF positively influences body composition, leading to reductions in fat mass over periods ranging from four weeks to 14 months. While body composition changes require longer durations, metabolic improvements can emerge even in short-term implementations. Studies have documented reductions in blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), cholesterol, and ghrelin, alongside increases in ketone levels, insulin sensitivity, cardiometabolic health, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression. Investigations into the combination of IF with aerobic and resistance training suggest that while IF does not provide additional benefits for athletic performance, it significantly enhances body composition and metabolic health parameters. In summary, although IF may not directly enhance sports performance, it remains a highly effective dietary strategy for optimizing body composition and metabolic health in both sedentary individuals and athletes despite having potential challenges related to adherence. IF is considered as a practical and efficient nutritional approach.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Intermittent fasting, Body composition, Sports performance, Metabolic health

Aralıklı Açlık Metabolizması, Vücut Kompozisyonu, Spor ve Egzersiz Performansı Etkileşimi: Geleneksel Derleme

Öz

Son yıllarda aralıklı açlık uygulamaları oluşturduğu metabolik değişimlerle vücut ağırlığı kaybı ve olası vücut kompozisyonuna etkileri ile ön plana çıkmaktadır. Yakın zamanda pratikte kullanılan birçok açlık diyet uygulamaları bulunmasına rağmen, genel olarak bu açlık diyet uygulamaları “aralıklı açlık” genel şemsiyesi altında incelenmektedir. Aralıklı açlık ise başlıca iki kategoride incelenebilir: 1) Hafta içi açlık uygulamaları (Haftada 2 gün tam açlık ya da günlük kalori gereksinmesinin %25’i kadar kalori alımından oluşan 2 gün ve beslenmenin serbest bırakıldığı 5 gün şeklinde uygulanan 5:2 modeli ve günaşırı açlık (GA) uygulamaları 2) Gün içi açlık uygulamaları (günün belirli saatlerinde yeme periyotlarından oluşan zaman sınırlı beslenme (ZSB)). Aralıklı açlığın sağlığa dair pozitif etkileri metabolik değişim, sirkadiyen ritim, gastrointestinal mikrobiyota ve yaşam tarzı değişikliği gibi farklı mekanizmalarla açıklanabilmektedir. Aralıklı açlığın vücut kompozisyonunu olumlu yönde etkilediği, 4 haftadan 14 aya değişen sürelerde yağ kütlede azalma sağlayabildiği görülmüştür. Aralıklı açlığın vücut kompozisyonuna etkileri daha uzun sürelerde gözlemlenirken metabolik profile etkileri çok daha kısa süreli uygulamalarında dahi sağlanabilmektedir. Aralıklı açlık uygulamalarının dördüncü gününden itibaren kan glikoz düzeylerinin, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) seviyelerinin, kolestrol düzeyinin, ghrelin seviyelerinin azaldığı, keton düzeylerinde, insülin duyarlılığında, kardiyometabolik sağlıkta, beyin türevi nörotrofik faktör (BDNF) ve rapamisinin mekanistik hedefi (mTOR) ekspresyonunda artış sağlandığı kaydedilmiştir. Aralıklı açlık uygulamalarının aerobik ve direnç antrenmanları ile birlikte kombinasyonunun incelendiği çalışmalarda, aralıklı açlık modellerinin performans gelişiminde antrenmana ek olarak katkı sunmadığı ancak vücut kompozisyonu ve metabolik sağlık parametrelerinde daha fazla iyileşme sağladığı saptanmıştır. Özetle aralıklı açlık, performans gelişiminde etkin olmasa da sedanter ve sporcu bireylerde vücut kompozisyonu yönetimi ve metabolik sağlık belirteçleri üzerinde etkili görüldüğünden, diyete uyumda zorluk gibi sınırlılıklar olsa da önerilebilir ve etkin bir beslenme modeli olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Aralıklı açlık, Vücut kompozisyonu, Spor performansı, Metabolik sağlık

Kaynakça

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