ArticleJournal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle2025
Impact of Long-Term Fasting on Skeletal Muscle: Structure, Energy Metabolism and Function Using
Article in Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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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
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- A 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Regimen Ameliorates High-Fat Diet-Induced MASLD-Associated Skeletal Muscle Impairment in Mice.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2026Article
- Impact of long-term fasting on liver and abdominal adipose tissues monitored by quantitative chemical-shift encoded MRI.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Crosstalk Between Skeletal Muscle and Proximal Connective Tissues in Lipid Dysregulation in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.Metabolites · 2025Review
- Comprehensive Review of Sepsis-Related Skeletal Muscle Atrophy: Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Therapeutic Strategies.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundFasting shows promise for public health, but concerns about muscle loss hinder its acceptance, particularly among the elderly. We explored the impact of long-term fasting (12 days, 250 kcal/day) on muscle structure, metabolism and performance.
methodsWe prospectively assessed muscle volume, composition, relaxometry data and lipid metabolism in 32 subjects (16 men; 50% over 50 years old) before fasting, at the end of fasting and 1 month post-fasting. Techniques included high-resolution 3D Dixon MR imaging, multiecho CSE and single-voxel MR spectroscopy. Dynamic
resultsAlthough the average body weight loss was 5.9 kg (7.4%, p < 0.001), the skeletal muscle volume change measured on the right calf muscle was 271 mL (5.4%, p < 0.001). This closely aligns with expected losses of glycogen (1%-2%) and bound water (3%-4%), estimated to total 404-505 mL. MVC (anaerobic lactic metabolism) remained preserved in both thighs and calf muscles, regardless of sex or age. Unchanged T2 showed that fasting did not induce structural or inflammatory changes. MRI/MRS revealed fat redistribution among tissues, with subcutaneous fat decrease (by 417.2 cm
conclusionsLong-term fasting did not alter muscle metabolism or performance, nor induced structural or inflammatory changes. The decrease in muscle volume is minor when accounting for glycogen and water depletion during fasting. Fat is relocated to the intracellular compartment of myocytes. Both anaerobic and aerobic metabolic pathways remain unchanged after 12 days of fasting in both sexes and older subjects. This suggests that human muscles, like those in animals, have evolved to withstand seasonal food shortages and endure long fasting periods.
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