Effect of Medically Supervised Prolonged Fasting Therapy on Vitamin D, B12, Body Weight, Body Mass Index, Vitality and Quality of Life: A Randomized Control Trial

Abstract

Background: Recent research indicates prolonged fasting for more than 7 days is beneficial in priming the vitamin D metabolism. However, methodological limitations in previous studies, such as insufficient sample size and a lack of control group, limits its generalizability. The present study evaluated the impact of prolonged fasting (10 days) on vitamin D, vitamin B12, body mass index (BMI), weight, hemoglobin, vitality and quality of life (QoL) compared to a normal diet. Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted in an in-patient private yoga and naturopathy setting between February and April 2022. A total of 52 participants (mean age 51.57 ± 13.67 years) with varying medical conditions were randomized into a fasting group (FG) or a normal diet group (NDG) with 26 participants in each group. The FG was on a fasting diet (500 kCal/day) which included holy basil herbal tea, lemon honey water, and water (3 L). The NDG (1500 kCal/day) consumed a routine diet that included Indian bread, pulses, steamed rice, vegetable salads, and beverages. Results: The FG has shown significant increase in the Vitamin D levels ( P = .003, d = 0.475), vitality ( P = .006, d = 0.425), physical QoL ( P < .001, d = 0.549), psychological QoL ( P = .002, d = 0.488), and environmental QoL ( P = .004, d = 0.457) compared to NDG. No significant changes were observed in vitamin B12, weight, BMI, haemoglobin, and social QoL. A weak to moderate (ρ = 0.330-0.483) positive correlation was observed between vitality scores and QoL domains, whereas BMI scores showed an inverse correlation (ρ = −.280) with vitamin D levels. Conclusion: The results suggest that prolonged fasting for 10 days can improve vitamin D levels, improve vitality, and promote quality of life compared to a normal diet. Unlike previous studies, the FG does not differ from the NDG concerning weight and BMI. Nevertheless, fasting may be utilized as an effective tool to tackle vitamin D deficiency and associated health insufficiencies.

Physiological and Psychological Effects of Medically Supervised Fasting in Young Female Adults: An Observational Study

“…Our findings differ from two of our previous studies on fasting, where we found no significant change in the study participants' hemoglobin levels [ 8 , 9 ]. However, those studies are limited by sample size issues or patient heterogeneity.…”

“…We observed a significant increase in the vitamin D levels of the MSF group post-fasting. Earlier research also suggested that fasting under medical supervision could improve vitamin D levels in both healthy volunteers and patients with chronic diseases [ 8 , 9 ]. The present finding substantiates the earlier reports on fasting and vitamin D levels.…”

“…Furthermore, Tewani et al and Arankalle et al reported the impact of prolonged medically supervised fasting on the biochemical parameters of healthy volunteers and diseased populations, respectively. They found 10-day medically supervised fasting to increase vitamin D levels and hemoglobin levels, reduce inflammation, reduce body weight, and improve the quality of life [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Therapeutic Fasting and Vitamin D Levels: A New Dimension in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Prevention and Management—A Brief Report

“…Earlier studies also reported MSF up to 10 days can improve the vitamin D levels. 11 12 13 A growing body of literature suggests the role of vitamin D in improving type 2 diabetes-related clinical outcomes by attenuating insulin resistance and priming the endocrine functions of the pancreas. 2 4 5 A meta-analysis study revealed the beneficial effect of vitamin D in reducing fasting blood sugar, glycated hemoglobin levels (HbA1C), and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in patients with diabetes mellitus and deficient vitamin D status.…”

“…8 Therapeutic fasting has been shown to increase vitamin D levels in both healthy volunteers and chronic disease patients. [11][12][13] However, the role of therapeutic fasting in improving the vitamin D levels in T2DM patients is less understood. The present observational study is therefore intended to explore if the 10-day medically supervised fasting (MSF) has any potential impact on vitamin D, vitamin B12, fasting blood sugar levels, anthropometric measures, quality of life, and disease perception in T2DM patients.…”