Denise Pate, doctor of internal medicine听at听Medical 西瓜视频, to learn more about it鈥攊ncluding whether fasted cardio is actually safe.
What are the benefits of fasted cardio?听鈥淔asted cardio is exercise done in a fasted state, in which your body is no longer processing or digesting food. Benefits include increased lipolysis, fat oxidation and decreased insulin levels. Increased lipolysis is when the body breaks down fatty cells to use them as energy, and fat oxidation is when the body burns the energy from fat cells when the body’s glycogen (the body’s storage form of energy) is low. When the body is resting, especially during sleep, blood insulin levels begin to drop; this means the body turns to using fat as energy instead of carbohydrates. These benefits all stem from increased body fat loss.鈥
So, is fasted cardio safe?听鈥Yes, if it鈥檚 done carefully. Exercising or doing cardio during a fasted state can cause low blood sugar, which could lead to feelings of lightheadedness or lethargy. Because our body derives energy from a different source when we do fasted cardio, this energy can come from muscle, hence some may experience muscle loss, especially in the elderly. If you have other metabolic diseases or health concerns such as diabetes, it is best to contact your doctor prior to doing fasted cardio to prevent low blood sugar.鈥
So it鈥檚听not听harmful to work out on an empty stomach?听鈥While it鈥檚 not necessarily harmful to the body, there are pros and cons. One pro:听听when you exercise on an empty stomach. The con of working out on an empty stomach is that your body eventually kicks into ‘survival mode,’ where it will eventually burn fewer calories as your body will try to prevent too much fat from being burned; this can make it more difficult to lose weight. You may also feel ill or lacking in energy after.鈥
Can habitual fasted cardio lead to any health conditions? 鈥If you鈥檙e generally in good health, fasted cardio may not be an issue. However if you have a health condition, like diabetes, contact your doctor before trying it out.鈥
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