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Cited by 115Dietary Effects on HealthMuscle metabolism and nutritionEnhanced Recovery After Surgery

Two weeks of early time-restricted feeding (eTRF) improves skeletal muscle insulin and anabolic sensitivity in healthy men

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Jones, Robert, Pabla, Pardeep, Mallinson, Joanne, Nixon, Aline, Taylor, Tariq, Bennett, Andrew, Tsintzas, Kostas·2020·The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
DOI 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa192PMC PMC7528549
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Altering the temporal distribution of energy intake (EI) and introducing periods of intermittent fasting (IF) exert important metabolic effects. Restricting EI to earlier in the day [early time-restricted feeding (eTRF)] is a novel type of IF. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the chronic effects of eTRF compared with an energy-matched control on whole-body and skeletal muscle insulin and anabolic sensitivity. METHODS: Sixteen healthy males (aged 23 ± 1 y; BMI 24.0 ± 0.6 kg·m-2) were assigned to 2 groups that underwent either 2 wk of eTRF (n = 8) or control/caloric restriction (CON:CR; n = 8) diet. The eTRF diet was consumed ad libitum and the intervention was conducted before the CON:CR, in which the diet was provided to match the reduction in EI and body weight observed in eTRF. During eTRF, daily EI was restricted to between 08:00 and 16:00, which prolonged the overnight fast by ∼5 h. The metabolic responses to a carbohydrate/protein drink were assessed pre- and post-interventions following a 12-h overnight fast. RESULTS: When compared with CON:CR, eTRF improved whole-body insulin sensitivity [between-group difference (95% CI): 1.89 (0.18, 3.60); P = 0.03; η2p = 0.29] and skeletal muscle uptake of glucose [between-group difference (95% CI): 4266 (261, 8270) μmol·min-1·kg-1·180 min; P = 0.04; η2p = 0.31] and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) [between-group difference (95% CI): 266 (77, 455) nmol·min-1·kg-1·180 min; P = 0.01; η2p = 0.44]. eTRF caused a reduction in EI (∼400 kcal·d-1) and weight loss (-1.04 ± 0.25 kg; P = 0.01) that was matched in CON:CR (-1.24 ± 0.35 kg; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Under free-living conditions, eTRF improves whole-body insulin sensitivity and increases skeletal muscle glucose and BCAA uptake. The metabolic benefits of eTRF are independent of its effects on weight loss and represent chronic adaptations rather than the effect of the last bout of overnight fast. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03969745.

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  • Recent human trials on TRE have highlighted numerous beneficial metabolic effects of TRE, e.g., improved mean daily glucose levels, fasting glucose levels, insulin resistance or insulin sensitivity, triglyceride levels, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol levels.

    “Recent human trials on TRE have highlighted numerous beneficial metabolic effects of TRE, e.g., improved mean daily glucose levels (107, 108), fasting glucose levels (108–110), insulin resistance (108, 110, 111) or insulin sensitivity (112, 113), triglyceride levels (107, 109, 114, 115), total cholesterol (115, 116), and LDL cholesterol levels (116).”

    From Meal timing and its role in obesity and associated diseases (2024) · cites this paper as [112]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Jones, R., Pabla, P., Mallinson, J., Nixon, A., Taylor, T., Bennett, A., & Tsintzas, K.
Affiliations
University of Nottingham (GB)
Corresponding author
Tsintzas, Kostas
ORCID
Venue
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-10
Volume
112
Issue
4
Pages
1015-1028
ISSN
0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1093/ajcn/nqaa192
PMC
PMC7528549
OpenAlex
W3046649226
Cited by
115
References
10
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 16
FWCI
8.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Repository@Nottingham (University of Nottingham) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Repository@Nottingham (University of Nottingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Enhanced Recovery After Surgery
Keywords
intermittent fasting, skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity, skeletal muscle glucose uptake, branched-chain amino acids, whole-body insulin sensitivity, caloric restriction, weight loss, energy intake, healthy men, time-restricted eating, overnight fasting, muscle protein synthesis, muscle protein degradation, muscle glycogen, muscle triglycerides
MeSH terms
Adult, Amino Acids, Branched-Chain, Body Composition, Energy Intake, Energy Metabolism, Fasting, Glucose, Humans, Insulin Resistance, Male, Muscle, Skeletal

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