Is it possible that eating dinner late or snacking at night ages us faster?

Researchers have reason to believe so, and that intermittent time-restricted feeding (iTRF) and intermittent feeding (IF) may serve as potential antidotes.

 

Link between IF and longevity

There’s no shortage of evidence pointing to the benefits of iTRF and IF for human health.

For example, an article published by the New England Journal of Medicine stated that “in humans, [IF] interventions ameliorate obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and inflammation.”

de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. Longo DL, ed. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(26):2541–2551.

 

As a simple dietary intervention strategy, iTRF appears to be both efficient and pleiotropic, with health benefits for multiple tissues, and offers a potential method of choice to combat aging.

Researchers are learning more about the relationship between iTRF, IF, aging, and lifespan.

In a review published by Ageing Research Reviews, the results of human studies on IF indicated it “can protect against the metabolic syndrome and associated disorders including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M. Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Res Rev. 2017;39:46–58.

 

The authors also wrote of how “small trials of IF in patients with cancer or multiple sclerosis have generated promising results that provide a strong rationale for moving forward with larger clinical trials in patients with a range of chronic age- and obesity-related disorders.”

 

 

Tips for navigating late-night hunger

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) may be familiar with the list of health issues associated with eating too close to bedtime. Higher risks of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome are just a few, according to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Gu C, Brereton N, Schweitzer A, et al. Metabolic effects of late dinner in healthy volunteers—a randomized crossover clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020;105(8):2789–2802.

 

As scientists continue to unearth the relationship between eating times and longevity, accredited health organizations encourage patients to create space between dinner time and bedtime.

A 2022 article published by the Cleveland Clinic stated that patients should aim to forgo food 3 hours before they head to bed.

Is eating before bed bad for you? Cleveland Clinic. March 23, 2022.

 

When you eat late at night, you’re going against your body’s circadian rhythm.

Our bodies are more sensitive to insulin in the morning to give us the energy we need for a productive day. At night, however, our insulin resistance increases, which is why our bodies tend to store late-night snacks as fat while we sleep (instead of burning it off during the day).

If patients find themselves hungry close to bedtime, the Cleveland Clinic recommended the following snacking options:

• Carrots and broccoli with hummus

• Steamed or raw veggies, including grape tomatoes and snap peas

• One tablespoon of peanut butter with an apple

• A piece of dark chocolate with fruit

• Greek yogurt

These foods supply a generous amount of protein, fiber, and healthy fat to help patients feel full quickly without promoting hyperglycemia through the sleep cycle.

This way, people can head to bed feeling satisfied and reap the benefits of a good night’s sleep, ultimately contributing to their health and longevity.