ArticleMetabolism open2021
The effect of four-week intermittent fasting from dawn to sunset on circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in subjects with metabolic syndrome and healthy subjects.
Article in Metabolism open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of dietary interventions on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in adults: a systematic review of clinical trials.BMC nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Regimens on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels and Cognitive Function in Humans: A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Pooled it
- Dawn-to-dusk dry fasting decreases circulating inflammatory cytokines in subjects with increased body mass index.Metabolism open · 2024Article
- Impact of Intermittent Fasting and/or Caloric Restriction on Aging-Related Outcomes in Adults: A Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Nutrients · 2024Article
- Alterations in anthropometric, inflammatory and mental health parameters during Ramadan intermittent fasting in a group of healthy people: a prospective cohort study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Article
- Molecular Study of the Protective Effect of a Low-Carbohydrate, High-Fat Diet against Brain Insulin Resistance in an Animal Model of Metabolic Syndrome.Brain sciences · 2023Article
- Dawn-to-dusk dry fasting induces anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic proteome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in subjects with metabolic syndrome.Metabolism open · 2022Article
- The impact of dawn to sunset fasting on immune system and its clinical significance in COVID-19 pandemic.Metabolism open · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key neurotrophin that regulates food intake and energy hemostasis. BDNF also promotes neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, and neuroprotection. There are conflicting reports regarding how intermittent fasting affects circulating BDNF levels. We tested the hypothesis that 4-week intermittent fasting from dawn to sunset (4-week-IF) would decrease circulating BDNF levels in subjects with metabolic syndrome and healthy subjects.
methodsWe conducted pilot studies in subjects with metabolic syndrome and healthy subjects who fasted from dawn to sunset for more than 14 h for four consecutive weeks. We measured serum BDNF levels and metabolic parameters before 4-week-IF, at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF, and one week after 4-week-IF.
resultsWe enrolled 28 subjects, 14 with metabolic syndrome (women/men:6/8) with a mean age of 59 years and 14 healthy subjects (women/men:1/13) with a mean age of 32 years. Overall, BDNF levels decreased at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF compared with the levels before 4-week-IF (mean paired difference = -98.5 ng/ml, P = 0.0006). When subjects with metabolic syndrome were compared with healthy subjects, subjects with metabolic syndrome had a lower mean paired reduction in BDNF levels at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF compared with the levels before 4-week-IF (BDNF mean paired difference = -27.6 ng/ml vs. -169.5 ng/ml, P = 0.003). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between the change in tumor necrosis factor-alpha and change in BDNF levels at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF compared with the levels before 4-week-IF in subjects with metabolic syndrome (P = 0.040) and healthy subjects (P = 0.007). The change in weight and body mass index independently predicted the change in BDNF levels 1 week after 4-week-IF compared with the levels before 4-week-IF in subjects with metabolic syndrome.
conclusionFour-week-IF resulted in a reduction in the BDNF levels at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF. Higher BDNF levels and a lower reduction in BDNF levels at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF compared with the levels before 4-week-IF in subjects with metabolic syndrome than healthy subjects suggest a potential BDNF resistance similar to insulin and leptin resistance in metabolic syndrome. A positive correlation between the change in BDNF and change in tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels at the end of 4th week during 4-week-IF compared with the levels before 4-week-IF suggests that BDNF is a biomarker of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in addition to its neurotrophic and anorexigenic features.
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