It’s Not Just What You Eat — When You Eat May Matter for Brain Health
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A Matter of Time: We often think of intermittent fasting as a weight loss tactic or gut reset, but a new pilot study suggests it might also benefit the brain, at least in women. Researchers at Rutgers University wanted to know if changing when you eat, not just what or how much, could help prevent the cognitive decline that appears to come with age.
The Study: The trial enrolled 47 women ages 50 to 79 who were overweight or obese. Everyone cut 500 calories a day, but 26 participants also restricted eating to under nine hours daily, typically between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. After six months, both groups lost similar amounts of weight. However, only those who followed the shorter eating window showed improvements on tests measuring spatial planning and problem solving.
The Takeaway: Both groups dropped roughly the same amount of weight, yet only the time-restricted group saw brain gains. That suggests something about the eating pattern itself, separate from calorie restriction and weight loss, might be the reason behind it.
Keep in Mind: This trial was small and hasn’t gone through peer review yet, and other factors (exercise, food quality, and genetics) affect cognitive decline, as well.
