What Intermittent Fasting Does to Female Hormones

 Have you ever wondered about what kinds of effects certain diets have on our bodies? One

popular form of dieting includes the “warrior diet” which is a type of intermittent fasting in

which a person strictly eats during a 4-hour window every day without having to count their

calories and can only drink water outside of that window. Compared to how we normally eat in

a day, this change in eating pattern is certain to have an impact on our health.

A study was conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago to determine how

intermittent fasting affects female hormones. To test this, they measured differences in

hormone levels by observing blood sample data from three different groups of pre- and post-

menopausal women over an 8-week period: one group followed a 4-hour feeding window,

another group followed a 6-hour window, and a control group had no diet restrictions. After

observing each group for 8 weeks, the results showed that most hormone levels remained the

same after the end of the testing period, including hormones like sex-binding globulin hormone

and androstenedione. However, the results showed for both pre- and post-menopausal women

a 14% drop in levels of DHEA, a hormone that improves ovarian function and egg quality. This

decrease in DHEA levels did not last the entire 8-week testing period. Though a drop in

hormone levels may seem concerning, especially for post-menopausal women, researchers

from the study found that lowering DHEA levels has some benefits. There is a link between high

DHEA levels and breast cancer risk, so the effects of intermittent fasting may play a role in

reducing the risk of developing breast cancer in pre- and post-menopausal women.

There is a lot of negative information as well as misinformation that’s spread about the ways

certain diets may impact your health. Also, the studies conducted to test it is often done on

other animals, so the results are not entirely accurate for us. This study on intermittent fasting

and its effects on female hormones show how dieting can be beneficial in other ways besides

weight loss.


Sarah Belcher (7)

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221025150257.htm

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 1, 2022 at 6:48 PM

    Hey Sarah! I found your post to be fascinating as there are so many factors that go into studying and figuring out the best lifestyle habits for individuals because of the various biological effects they may have. Of the hormones monitored, was insulin one of them? If so, was there any difference between the sample groups?

    - Anthony Nassar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 4, 2022 at 5:03 PM

      Hi Anthony! Researchers in the study also observed changes in insulin resistance among the three sample groups and found there was a drop in insulin resistance for the two dieting groups compared to the control group. This makes sense because both of these groups experienced weight loss while the study was being conducted, and body fat plays a role in insulin resistance.
      - Sarah Belcher

      Delete
  2. Haya UsmaniNovember 2, 2022 at 7:32 AM

    Hi Sarah! Your post was interesting to read. There are lots of different diets that individuals try out. I have heard that intermittent can have several benefits on the body. It's interesting to learn about the new effects it can have on the body as new studies and research is being done. What other hormones can intermittent fasting effect?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 4, 2022 at 5:20 PM

      Hi Haya! The article mentioned that DHEA is a primary component in the hormone estrogen. Though the study didn’t find any major effects on estrogen levels, I think it’s possible that if a woman followed intermittent fasting for a long period of time, it may cause a decrease in estrogen. However, I think more research needs to be done on whether the drop in DHEA levels occurs long-term as well because the study only lasted eight weeks.
      - Sarah Belcher

      Delete
  3. Anna NiezreckiNovember 2, 2022 at 10:22 AM

    Hi Sarah! Diets are such a tricky topic because there are so many and everyone believes different things about how food affects your body. Its interesting that a study that was intended to study hormone levels concluded that intermittent fasting can decrease your chances of getting breast cancer. It just goes to show that our body's are so complex and difficult to fully understand. What do you think is the most beneficial diet plan and why?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Caitlin HooperNovember 2, 2022 at 5:43 PM

    Hi Sarah! This article was so interesting to read because the topic of diets varies widely in the way people view them. I knew most people dieted to lose weight or live a healthier lifestyle but I didn't know there were so many other benefits to it! Do you think that a diet may be something a woman could consider if she is at high risk for breast cancer, or is it not worth the negative effects that may come along with it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 4, 2022 at 4:51 PM

      Hi Caitlin! I think more research needs to be done the role of low DHEA levels on reducing breast cancer risk. There is a link between the two, but I don’t think that following this diet guarantees that a woman lowers her risk of developing breast cancer just because it can decrease her DHEA levels. It’s possible that other factors in our body play into it as well, so I don’t think it’s worth following the diet solely for that reason until it’s been further researched.
      - Sarah Belcher

      Delete
  5. AnonymousNovember 2, 2022 at 5:46 PM

    Hi Sarah, it was interesting to read how intermittent fasting may play a role in reducing the risk of developing breast cancer. I was wondering whether fasting had any effects for those in chemotherapy? Could intermittent fasting also help those who already developed cancer?
    - Gina Pasquale

    ReplyDelete
  6. Victoria LeongNovember 2, 2022 at 6:16 PM

    Hello Sarah! Thanks for sharing about such an interesting topic. Diets are always very confusing as people all have different experiences with them and tend to believe certain things as well, while a lot of them have little to no backing scientifically. Would there be any benefits of fasting for longer periods of time?

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 2, 2022 at 7:59 PM

    Hi Sarah! It was interesting to see how fasting affected ovarian function and egg quality. Do you know if women with fertility issues could benefit from a specific diet or eating schedule? Or, if a decrease in DHEA from fasting or not eating much could contribute to fertility issues?
    - Tiffany Pham

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lydia LitvakNovember 9, 2022 at 6:43 AM

    Hi Sarah!
    Hormones and the entirety of the endocrine system seem to be like another brain to our bodies and seem to control almost every aspect of our bodies. I have always heard that fasting could balance our hormones, but I never knew that it could even have the potential to reduce the risk of breast cancer. I wonder what other major hormones fasting may significantly affect and what potential threats/benefits are for our bodies?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kelly PhamDecember 9, 2022 at 9:13 AM

    Hi Sarah!
    Your post was very interesting to read! I used to be a big fan of intermittent fasting back in High school and never knew all of its true benefits. In the future do you think intermittent fasting would be more normal in our culture and medical world? because of its benefits?

    ReplyDelete

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