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5:2 diet

A new study has revealed the damaging effects fasting diets have on your health.

They shared that diets like the 5:2 diet can increase your risk of diabetes.

The 5:2 diet involves restricting your calorie consumption to 25 percent of your energy twice a week, and eating regularly for the remaining five days of the week.

During the two days of fast women typically consume 500 calories, with the average man consuming 600 calories, meaning you can eat three small meals a day.

Some people may fast completely for two days.

During a talk at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, the team revealed that these fasting diets can have a dangerous impact on your insulin.

Author of the study, Ana Bonassa explained: “Despite the weight loss, intermittent fasting diets may actually damage the pancreas and affect insulin function in normal healthy individuals, which could lead to diabetes and serious health issues.”

The team looked at the effects fasting every other day has on the body of adult rats and also looked at their insulin function over three months.

During the study, the team noticed a decrease in the rats’ body weight, however, they also found that the cells that release insulin in the pancreas were damaged.

The team understand that diets like the 5:2 diet work when it comes to weight loss, but they may cause long-term medical issues in the future.

The team said that further research is needed to see how humans would be affected by fasting diets, adding that they will look at how these kinds of diets affect insulin and pancreas function in humans.

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Experts have warned about how the 5:2 diet may make you live longer, but it could also leave you more susceptible to infection.

The diet, which involves eating next to nothing for two days during the week is said to lower blood pressure, but scientists from the University of Bath have been testing on fruit flies over the last year, and they’ve found that the diet can lead to a 20% increase in infections.

The leader of the study Dr Nick Priest, a lecturer in biology and biochemistry said:

“We know that certain stresses such as starvation or exposure to pathogens can extend life and increase fertility, but we have found that ironically this has a trade-off in terms of immune function.

“Our findings are not all that surprising. We have known for decades that starved mice are more likely to succumb to serious infections.”

“But, there has been a lot more interest in the short term benefits than potential long-term costs.”

“There are clear health benefits to diets such as the 5:2 regime, but we need to bear in mind there are side effects.

“It shows that even the fountain of youth should come with a warning label.”

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