Caloric restriction

Calorie restriction has been proven to extend life in mouse modals. Given the longitudinal nature of studies needed to verify this in humans, we do not have many studies. Bryan Johnson on his reduced calorie diet has been able to measure a slow down in his metabolic ageing by undertaking epigenetic testing.

Fasting

Fasting has been practiced for millennia for religious, spiritual, and health reasons. Over the past few decades, there has been growing interest in fasting for its potential health benefits, leading to the development and popularization of various fasting regimens. Here are some of the most well-known fasting methods:

Some different types of fasting

This involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. It doesn't prescribe specific foods but rather focuses on when to eat.

• 16/8 Method This is perhaps the most popular form of IF. It involves fasting for 16 hours each day and restricting your eating to an 8-hour window.
• 14/10 Method Similar to the 16/8 but with a 14-hour fast and 10-hour eating window, often recommended as a starting point for women.
• Eat-Stop-Eat This involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week. For instance, from breakfast one day until breakfast the next day.
• 5:2 Diet For two non-consecutive days of the week, you consume only about 500-600 calories. On the other five days, you eat normally.
• Alternate-Day Fasting This method involves alternating between days of no food restriction and days where you consume very few calories, either fully fasting or taking in around 500 calories.
• Warrior Diet This diet involves eating small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and then having one large meal at night.
• Prolonged Fasting This involves abstaining from food for extended periods, typically longer than 48 hours. It's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before attempting prolonged fasts.
• Periodic Fasting This approach includes fasting or dramatically reducing calories for several consecutive days (like 5 consecutive days every month).
• Time-Restricted Eating This is a broader concept similar to intermittent fasting but focuses on limiting eating to certain hours of the day every day. For example, some people might only eat between 10 am and 6 pm.
• Fasting Mimicking Diet Developed by Dr. Valter Longo, this diet attempts to provide the benefits of fasting while allowing for food. It involves consuming a specific, very low-calorie diet for five consecutive days every month or two.
• Religious or Spiritual Fasting Many religious groups practice fasting including Muslims over Ramadan, Christians during lent, etc.

Each fasting method offers its own set of potential benefits and challenges. It's crucial to choose a method that aligns with your own health goals, physical condition, and lifestyle.

What does fasting do for hair loss?

The data on calorie restriction shows there are metabolic benefits from calorie restriction. What is not clear is what impact that has on DHT and in general your androgen levels. Abstaining from high glycaemic index foods is a great start.

Academic Research

• Impaired metabolic effects of metformin in men with early-onset androgenic alopecia

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