Strange Fasting Trick Reduces COVID-19 Hospitalization

When it comes to COVID-19, symptoms can range from non-existent to life-threatening.

The good news is which category you fall into doesn’t have to be decided by a coin toss.

A recent study identified a drug-free technique that’s been proven to reduce the risk of hospitalization—and even death—from COVID-19.

And it just so happens I’ve been telling you about it for years.

This study included 205 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 before vaccines were widely available.

The researchers found that those who practiced intermittent fasting about once a month had a lower rate of being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19.

This study didn’t look into why intermittent fasting had this protective effect, but I see three possible reasons.

One is that fasting reduces inflammation—and out-of-control inflammation (called a cytokine storm) is responsible for the most severe symptoms of COVID-19.

Second, after a time of fasting, your body starts using ketones for energy (instead of glucose). One particular fatty acid, called linoleic acid, fits into a special pocket on the surface of SARS-Cov-2.

This helps prevent the virus from attaching to other cells.

Third, intermittent fasting promotes autophagy, which helps your body get rid of damaged or infected cells.

Now, I should note that many of the people in this study had been fasting regularly for decades for religious reasons.

I’m guessing most of you don’t fall into that category.

But it’s never too late to start incorporating intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating into your routine—and it’s also never too late to benefit from it.

In addition to possibly reducing the severity of COVID-19, intermittent fasting has been shown to improve blood pressure, boost memory, boost metabolism, reduce type 2 diabetes risk, and more.

P.S. For more on the inflammation fighting benefits of intermittent fasting see my earlier report here.

SOURCE:

Intermountain Healthcare. (2022, July 7.) “People who practice intermittent fasting experience less severe complications from COVID-19, study finds.” ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220707100915.htm.