ArticleJournal of clinical medicine2022
Effects of Fasting and Lifestyle Modification in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Article in Journal of clinical medicine, 2022. 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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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of intermittent fasting on insulin resistance, lipid profile, and inflammation on metabolic syndrome: a GRADE assessed systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2025Pooled it
- Intermittent fasting improves metabolic outcomes in metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis with GRADE evaluation.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Targeting Insulin Resistance Through Nutrition: Pathophysiological Insights and Dietary Interventions.Nutrients · 2026Review
- The Gut-Brain Axis in Obesity: Mechanisms, Development, and Therapeutic Perspectives.Current nutrition reports · 2026Review
- Nutritional timing and stress biology: intermittent fasting as a hormetic signal for adaptation.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- A Holistic Approach to Metabolic Health Assessment-Analysis of Bioimpedance, Blood, and Saliva Biochemistry in Population Studies-A Pilot Study.Metabolites · 2025Article
- Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
17 authors at 7 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLifestyle interventions, such as fasting, diet, and exercise, are increasingly used as a treatment option for patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). This study assesses the efficacy and safety of fasting followed by lifestyle modification in patients with MS compared to lifestyle modification only.
methodsSingle-blind, multicenter, parallel, randomized controlled trial in two German tertiary referral hospitals in metropolitan areas.
interventions(a) 5-day fasting followed by 10 weeks of lifestyle modification (modified DASH diet, exercise, mindfulness; MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Co-primary outcomes were ambulatory systolic blood pressure and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index at week 12. Further outcomes included anthropometric, laboratory parameters, and the PROCAM score at weeks 1, 12, and 24.
resultsA total of 145 patients with metabolic syndrome (62.8% women; 59.7 ± 9.3 years) were included. No significant group differences occurred for the co-primary outcomes at week 12. However, compared to lifestyle modification only, fasting significantly reduced HOMA index (Δ = -0.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.7, -0.1), diastolic blood pressure (Δ = -4.8; 95% CI = -5.5, -4.1), BMI (Δ = -1.7; 95% CI = -2.0, -1.4), weight (Δ = -1.7; 95% CI = -2.0, -1.4), waist circumference (Δ = -2.6; 95% CI = -5.0, -0.2), glucose (Δ = -10.3; 95% CI = -19.0, -1.6), insulin (Δ = -2.9; 95% CI = -5.3, -0.4), HbA1c (Δ = -0.2; 95% CI = -0.4, -0.05;), triglycerides (Δ = -48.9; 95% CI = -81.0, -16.9), IL-6 (Δ = -1.2; 95% CI = -2.5, -0.005), and the 10-year risk of acute coronary events (Δ = -4.9; 95% CI = -9.5, -0.4) after week 1. Fasting increased uric acid levels (Δ = 1.0; 95% CI = 0.1, 1.9) and slightly reduced eGRF (Δ = -11.9; 95% CI = -21.8, -2.0). Group differences at week 24 were found for weight (Δ = -2, 7; 95% CI = -4.8, -0.5), BMI (Δ = -1.0; 95% CI = -1.8, -0.3), glucose (Δ = -7.7; 95% CI = -13.5, -1.8), HDL (Δ = 5.1; 95% CI = 1.5, 8.8), and CRP (Δ = 0.2; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.4). No serious adverse events occurred.
conclusionsA beneficial effect at week 24 was found on weight; fasting also induced various positive short-term effects in patients with MS. Fasting can thus be considered a treatment for initializing lifestyle modification for this patient group; however, it remains to be investigated whether and how the multilayered effects of fasting can be maintained in the medium and longer term.
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