Should Women Over 50 Do Intermittent Fasting? All the Pros and Cons

Intermittent fasting gets a lot of attention, but it’s not for everyone; here’s the full scoop.

Intermittent fasting has been a hot topic since about 2017, amounting to almost a decade of social media videos, news articles, and even research supporting the benefits of the eating method. Proponents of the practice claim that it can give you everything from focus, energy, weight loss, and glowing skin to a longer life.

Though the attention on intermittent fasting has meant many researchers are studying it in labs, there’s still a lot to learn about fasting’s effect on health, including how they differ between types of fasting (think: 12 hours vs. a whole week) or among specific groups of people, like older adults or postmenopausal women. So, how about intermittent fasting for women over 50? Here’s what the research says.

TL;DR

For women over 50, intermittent fasting (IF) offers some potential health benefits, including weight management and blood sugar control. But there are many ways to do IF, and it’s not right for everyone. Potential concerns include not getting enough nutrition, low bone density, muscle loss, and risks linked to health conditions and medications — which is why it’s smart to chat with your doctor before trying.

Key Takeaways

• For women over 50, intermittent fasting (IF) may support weight management and blood sugar control, but we don’t have much research on the effects of practicing IF long-term in this age group.
• One of the biggest risks of intermittent fasting in women over 50 is inadequate calorie, decreased protein intake, and other nutrients, which could exacerbate muscle and bone loss that’s already a risk factor at this age. 
• Gentler approaches, like a 12-hour overnight fast, can be a great place to start.
• You should talk to your doctor before trying IF if you have any health conditions or take any medications.

View More

What the Research Says

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating practice that cycles between periods of eating and fasting, but there isn’t just one way to do it. Intermittent fasting can mean: 

• Time-restricted eating (TRE), which means eating during a set portion of each day, as in the popular 16:8 method (fasting for 16 hours and eating during an 8-hour window). 
• Full-day fasting or restriction, which includes restricting food on specific days. Popular versions include the 5:2 method (eating regularly for 5 days and then restricting calories for 2 non-consecutive days) or alternate-day fasting (eating normally one day, then only about 25% of your typical calories the next day).

Even among popular methods, there are various ways to practice fasting — and research on IF often uses different approaches, which makes generalizing the takeaways tricky. Moreover, while there’s a growing body of research on IF, there aren’t many studies in women over 50, specifically, or ones that demonstrate the effectiveness of IF long-term. 

So what do we know? Although research specifically in women over 50 is limited, studies in middle-aged and older adults suggest some promising potential benefits. 

For one, intermittent fasting may help reduce body fat and improve metabolic health. A 2024 meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials looked specifically at research on intermittent fasting of different types in overweight/obese adults over 40, and found that IF reduces body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, and triglycerides (a type of fat, or lipid, found in your blood that increases risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart disease when high). For example, one six-week trial in 45 overweight women aged 60+ found that the 16:8 intermittent fasting method reduced body weight by about 2 kilograms, which the researchers concluded was mainly a loss of fat mass. 

However, intermittent fasting isn’t magic in that respect: research shows that, among overweight or obese adults, IF is about as effective as other diet strategies for losing weight. Still, some people may find it easier to stick with IF than to restrict calories or cut out certain foods as required in other types of dieting.

Beyond weight loss, IF may modestly lower systolic blood pressure and improve some measures of blood sugar control, including fasting insulin. That could be particularly relevant around and after menopause, when insulin resistance becomes more common. Some research and experts suggest that a TRE schedule that skews earlier in the day (think: dinner by 6 p.m.) can offer greater metabolic benefits than eating later in the day.

Preliminary research has also explored possible cognitive and mental-health benefits of IF in older adults and suggests a possible benefit, but there isn’t enough evidence yet to know for sure.

It’s worth noting that much of the research on IF is done on people who are overweight or obese, and most studies only last weeks or months. That means we know much less about its effects in women over 50 who have a healthy or low BMI, are already physically active, or practice IF for years rather than months.

Special Considerations After 50

Intermittent fasting isn’t a fit for everyone, and there are certain considerations you need to keep in mind when trying it over age 50. This includes:

• Muscle and bone health. Women over 50 are already at increased risk of sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and osteopenia (low bone density), with bone loss accelerating after menopause in part because of declining estrogen. With IF, shorter eating windows can make it harder to consume enough total calories, protein (key for maintaining and building muscle), and other nutrients, including vitamin D and calcium (important for bone maintenance), which could be problematic in an age group already prone to muscle and bone loss. While research hasn’t shown that IF itself accelerates bone or muscle loss, we don’t have studies looking at its effects in older adults over the long-term. During weight loss, resistance training (aka strength training) can help mitigate bone and muscle loss and protect your musculoskeletal health.
• Low body weight, unintentional weight loss, or malnutrition. If you’re already at a low body weight, have a poor appetite, or struggle to eat enough, intermittent fasting may make it harder to get enough calories and nutrients and could lead to further weight loss. Being underweight or malnourished can negatively affect your energy levels, muscle and bone health, and immune system.
• Medication timing. Some medications need to be taken with food for proper absorption or to prevent nausea or stomach upset, which may not work well with fasting.
• Diabetes and blood sugar. If you have diabetes — especially if you take insulin or certain medications that lower blood sugar — going long periods without food can increase your risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
• Blood pressure and hydration. If you take heart or blood pressure medications (such as a diuretic), you may have a higher risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, or drops in blood pressure while fasting. 

Gentler Ways to Try It

If you currently eat during most of your waking hours, abruptly transitioning to intermittent fasting may be difficult. Here are some ways you can more gently transition into the practice:

• Slowly reduce your eating window. Do so over several months, gradually increasing the time you go without food. There’s no need to conform to the 16:8 method, for example — and a longer fast isn’t necessarily better. Consider starting with (or even staying at) a 12-hour overnight fast, extending to 13 or 14 hours if it feels manageable.
• Prioritize adequate nutrition. During your eating window, plan to eat nutritious, balanced meals (and track your food intake, if needed) to make sure you’re getting enough calories, protein, and micronutrients.
• Stay hydrated. Calorie-free drinks including water, tea, and black coffee can all be consumed during a fasting period. Be sure you’re drinking enough liquids during your fasting periods to avoid dehydration.
• Consider eating earlier rather than later. If it works with your schedule, consider eating earlier (i.e., your last meal before 5 or 6 pm), which may offer more metabolic benefits than skipping breakfast and eating later into the evening.  
• Know when to break your fast. Don’t try to push through symptoms like dizziness or lightheadedness, shaking, confusion, sweating, or a racing heartbeat — eat and hydrate instead. These can be signs of low blood sugar, dehydration, or low blood pressure. 

Talk to Your Doctor First

It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before trying a new diet or making any significant changes to your eating habits to ensure it’s safe for you. This is a necessary step for anyone with health conditions, taking medications, or bone-density concerns. Intermittent fasting may also not be a fit for people with a history of disordered eating, since fasting can be a trigger for disordered eating patterns. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom Line on Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50

While the term “intermittent fasting” may be relatively modern, the practice of fasting has been around for a very, very long time. Despite its extensive history, we still need more research on the benefits and risks of intermittent fasting for women over 50, but early reports suggest it could benefit metabolic health and blood sugar control, among other things. The key concern for middle-aged and older adults doing IF is making sure you’re getting enough nutrients — which is why it’s a great idea to loop in a doctor or registered dietitian to help you fast safely.   

---