How Fasting Can Support Hormones, Muscle, And Heal The Body

Mark Hyman

Mar 27, 2024

Episode description

There’s been a lot of recent discussion around fasting, and for good reason. But one thing that often slips through the cracks is the differences between men and women, and why women need to take a specific approach to fasting that honors their hormones. You may have heard the recent buzz around fasting and a controversial headline associating it with cardiovascular death (which was not peer-reviewed, by the way). So today, I’m resharing this popular episode with holistic health expert Dr. Mindy Pelz to shed light on what we really know about the safety of fasting, and the dos and don’ts, particularly for women.

We discuss:

Will time-restricted eating kill you? Deciphering recent headlines
Two major issues happening for women: Understanding hormone cycles and an evolutionary mismatch
Mindy’s expert approach to managing hormones through fasting
Three rules for successfully reintroducing foods
Who should avoid fasting?
Tips for women over 40 that aren’t being talked about
The best way to get a handle on hormone testing

Fasting can be an incredibly healing practice, but it’s got to be done the right way—especially for women! Learn how to fast while supporting hormonal balance, and so much more, in this episode with Dr. Mindy Pelz.

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Utilize Dutch test for comprehensive hormone analysis in cycling women

For cycling women, a urinary Dutch test is superior to a blood test because it shows how estrogen is being broken down (metabolites), not just the total level.

#estrogen

#testing

Disregard flawed study linking time-restricted eating to heart attack risk

A recent study claiming a 91% increased heart attack risk from time-restricted eating was based on unreliable, sloppy data and should not be used to scare people away from the practice.

#fasting

#research

Manage stress to support progesterone levels

The hormone progesterone, which is dominant the week before a period, is very sensitive to cortisol, so when cortisol from stress goes high, progesterone levels drop.

#progesterone

#stress

Vary fasting according to menstrual cycle to balance hormones

Continuously fasting one meal a day can destroy women's hormones; instead, fasting should be varied according to the menstrual cycle to balance estrogen and progesterone.

#fasting

#menstrual-cycle

Reboot dopamine system with a 48-hour fast

Fasting for 48 hours can reboot the dopamine system by creating new receptor sites, allowing you to get more pleasure from less food.

#dopamine

#fasting

Refeed after fasting to rebuild stronger muscle

While fasting can cause temporary muscle breakdown, the refeeding period is a powerful opportunity to rebuild muscle stronger by consuming at least 30 grams of protein every few hours.

#fasting

#muscle

Implement 5-1-1 fasting schedule for optimal health

For men and post-menopausal women, a recommended weekly schedule is five days of intermittent fasting, one day of a longer fast, and one day of feasting with no fasting.