Three cycles of a so-called fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) was shown to reduce biomarkers associated with insulin resistance, liver fat in humans, and other markers associated with aging.
USC Leonard Davis School Professor Valter Longo, the senior author of the new study, designed the FMD. This five-day diet is high in unsaturated fats and low in protein, carbohydrates, and calories.
The study examined the diet’s impact in two clinical studies, which included men and women between the ages of 18 and 70. Participants who followed the fasting-mimicking diet went through 3-4 monthly cycles, following the FMD for 5 days and adhering to a normal diet for the other 25 days.
