How fasting affects women's hormones and stress hormones | Dr. Mark Mattson
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Dr. Mattson discusses the lack of evidence to suggest that intermittent fasting impairs fertility in women or otherwise disrupts hormone balance. While no studies have been done in humans, research in rats has found that intermittent fasting does not interfere with estrous cycling, but extreme caloric restriction halts the estrous cycle. The safety of intermittent fasting in adolescent girls with or without being overweight has not been studied. While intermittent fasting does increase stress hormones in animal studies, this stress response promotes longevity, unlike the response to chronic, uncontrolled stress. In this clip, Dr. Mark Mattson delivers an overview of the research investigating the effects of intermittent fasting on female and stress hormones.
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Latin for "at one's pleasure" or "as you desire." In biology, this term is used to describe "free feeding."
A glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol levels fluctuate as part of the diurnal cycle and in response to stress and hypoglycemia. Cortisol increases blood sugar, suppresses the immune system, and aids in the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
A region of the forebrain below the thalamus that coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other homeostatic systems, and involved in sleep and emotional activity.
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