This episode I discuss the science and practice of fasting also called time-restricted feeding. I review the data on how limiting food intake to specific portions of every 24-hour cycle (or fasting longer) impacts weight loss, fat loss specifically, liver health, mental focus, muscle, longevity and more. I explain how "fasted" is contextual, and relates to blood glucose levels and their downstream effects, and how the depth of fasting can be adjusted with behaviors such as different types of exercise, or with glucose disposal agents. I also discuss the optimal fasting protocol: and both the absolute (non-negotiable) and variable (contextual) features of a fasting/time-restricted-feeding protocol that will allow you to get the most benefits. I also discuss what does and does not break a fast, the effects of fasting on hormones like testosterone and cortisol and on fertility. I also review how different feeding windows of 8 or 10 or 4 hours differentially impact the effects of fasting, and why the classic 8 hour feeding window came to be but also might be ideal. I discuss mechanisms and offer tools to discern the optimal fasting duration and timing for you. 

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction, Blood Glucose & Mortality, Mice Vs. Humans  

00:06:18 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:09:42 Neuroplasticity Protocols & Online Lecture  

00:11:20 Feeding, Fasting, Performance  

00:13:50 Calories-In, Calories-Out (CICO); Perfect Diets  

00:19:48 Feeding-Induced Health Conditions  

00:25:33 Time Restricted Eating: When We Eat Is Vital  

00:29:45 The Eight Hour Feeding Window  

00:31:26 Feeding Deep Into the Night Is Bad (In Humans)  

00:36:33 Liver Health  

00:39:45 Time Restricted Feeding Protocol: Rules  

00:41:35 When to Start & Stop Eating  

00:45:38 Gastric Clearance, Linking Fasting to Sleep  

00:52:35 Effects of Specific Categories of Food  

00:55:40 Precision In Fasting: Protocol Build  

00:59:30 4-6 Hour Feeding Windows  

01:03:08 Protein Consumption & Timing for Muscle  

01:08:13 How to Shift Your Eating Window  

01:13:20 Glucose Clearing, Exercise & Compounds  

01:22:37 Blood Glucose: Monitoring, mTOR & Related Pathways  

01:27:40 Gut Health: Fasting, Clock Genes and Microbiota  

01:29:15 Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver  

01:32:00 Effects of Fasting on Hormones: Testosterone, Cortisol  

01:38:40 Fertility  

01:41:50 8-Hour Feeding Window: Weight Loss Without Calorie Counting  

01:43:20 Eating Every-Other-Day  

01:45:29 Adherence  

01:47:15 Mental Focus & Clarity  

01:49:12 Enhancing Weight Loss from Body Fat: Hepatic Lipase  

01:53:15 What Breaks a Fast? Rules & Context  

01:58:50 Artificial Sweeteners, Plant-Based Sweeteners  

02:01:42 Glucose Clearing II, Cinnamon, Acidity, Salt  

02:06:42 My Circadian Clock, Zero-App  

02:08:20 Odd (But Common) Questions  

02:09:23 Effects of Sauna & Dehydration on Blood Glucose  

02:11:12 The Ideal Fasting Protocol  

02:24:00 More Resources, Ways to Support Us, Supplements  

Disclaimer & Disclosures