Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) Lecture by Dr. Eric Westman

Overview

• Presenter: Dr. Eric Westman
• Topic: Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), its benefits, and comparisons with other dietary approaches

Introduction

• The lecture reviews a video by Dr. Sten Eberg discussing the benefits of the fasting mimicking diet and various ways to achieve fasting benefits.
• Dr. Sten Eberg's background: Functional Nutrition and Chiropractic Doctor, former decathlon champion.

Benefits of Fasting and FMD

• Fasting Benefits:

  • Reverses/reduces insulin resistance
  • Weight loss
  • Autophagy (cleansing process)
  • Reversing degenerative diseases (chronic inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, dementia)
  • Metabolic reset

• FMD Benefits: Mimics fasting while allowing food intake, achieving similar benefits as a water fast.

Autophagy

• Definition: The body's process of cleaning up and recycling protein (self-eating).
• Trigger: Fasting and significantly reducing protein intake can trigger autophagy.
• Research: Mostly theoretical with studies on animals and in vitro; limited human outcome data.
• Process: When protein intake is low, the body recycles proteins, removing damaged cells, bacteria, and viruses.

Types of Fasting

• Water Fasting: Only water intake, no food.
• Time-Restricted Fasting: Eating within specific time windows (e.g., 24-hour fast, eating once per day).
• Intermittent Fasting: Skipping meals and eating only when hungry.
• FMD: Eating specific low-calorie, low-protein foods to mimic fasting effects.

FMD Guidelines

• Caloric Intake: Less than 50% of normal calories
• Protein Intake: 15-20 grams per day
• Carb Intake: Kept relatively low but not as stringent as ketogenic diets
• Fat Intake: Makes up the majority of calories

Sample FMD Meals (from Dr. Eberg)

• Meal 1: Soup and salad with low-protein vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion) and extra virgin olive oil.

  • Total: 380 calories, 30g fat, 6.5g protein, 20g carbs

• Meal 2: Stir-fry with low-protein vegetables (leek, onion, cauliflower, asparagus, avocado, sweet potato) and extra virgin olive oil.

  • Total: 486 calories, 36g fat, 8.4g protein, 32.3g carbs

• Daily Totals: 867 calories, 66g fat, 15g protein, 52g carbs

Criticism and Considerations

• Consistency: Dr. Westman emphasizes a sustainable diet over periodic drastic measures.
• Readiness for Autophagy: Skeptical about the human outcome evidence for autophagy and its supposed benefits.
• Ketogenic Diet: Suggests that a low-carb ketogenic diet may offer similar benefits without the extreme measures.

Final Thoughts

• Medical Supervision: Water fasting and FMD should be supervised, especially for those on medications.
• Individual Variability: Different genetic and microbiome responses to fasting; some may not tolerate water fasting well.
• Simplicity and Sustainability: Advocates for a simple, low-carb, ketogenic approach for long-term health benefits.
• Research Gaps: Lack of large-scale human studies confirming the benefits of autophagy-promoting diets.
• Practicality: FMD might be useful for those who struggle with traditional fasting or seek variety in their diet.

Conclusion

• Emphasizes the importance of individualized approaches and remaining critical of the evidence and practicality of new dietary trends.
• Recaps the importance of avoiding junk foods, sugars, and processed foods for long-term health.
• Encourages viewers to explore more content on dietary interventions and nutritional science.