Promotes blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance

Fasting has been shown in several studies to improve blood sugar control, which might be especially beneficial for those at risk of diabetes. In fact, a study of ten people with type 2 diabetes found that short-term intermittent fasting reduced blood sugar levels considerably.

In the meanwhile, another study found that intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting were just as efficient at lowering insulin resistance as calorie restriction. Insulin resistance can be reduced by increasing your body's sensitivity to insulin, allowing glucose to be transported more efficiently from your bloodstream to your cells. This, combined with the potential blood sugar-lowering benefits of fasting, might help keep your blood sugar steady, preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes. However, keep in mind that fasting may affect blood sugar levels differently in men and women, according to some research. For example, one three-week research found that alternate-day fasting worsened women's blood sugar control while having no effect on men.