Can Fasting Help Lower Blood Pressure?
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Introduction: A Growing Health Concern
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects millions of adults and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. Before it becomes serious, many people experience “elevated blood pressure”—a warning stage that can often be improved with lifestyle changes. A recent scientific review explored whether intermittent fasting could be one of those changes.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is not about what you eat, but when you eat. It involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. Some people fast every other day (alternate-day fasting), while others fast for a few days per week or during specific hours each day. On non-fasting days, people are free to eat as they normally would—this is called "ad libitum" eating.
The Study: What Did Researchers Find?
A systematic review published in Iranian Journal of Public Health looked at 12 human studies involving over 1,000 adults with elevated blood pressure. The researchers wanted to see whether intermittent fasting could:
- Lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure
- Reduce body weight and BMI (body mass index)
- Shrink waist circumference
- Decrease calorie intake
The fasting periods in the studies lasted from 2 weeks to 48 weeks.
The Results: Small Changes, Big Impact
Across most of the studies, intermittent fasting led to positive results:
- Systolic blood pressure (the top number) dropped by up to 2.04 mmHg
- Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) fell by up to 3 mmHg
- Participants lost weight—up to 2.85 kg on average
- BMI and waist size decreased, especially with longer fasting programs
- Calorie intake naturally dropped without needing daily restrictions
Even small drops in blood pressure can reduce the risk of heart problems over time.
Why Does Fasting Help?
During fasting, your body uses stored fat for energy instead of glucose (sugar). This switch can improve how your body regulates blood pressure, manages insulin, and burns calories. When people fast regularly, they tend to eat fewer calories overall, which helps reduce body weight and improves heart health.
How Long Does It Take to See Results?
Most blood pressure improvements were seen between 2 and 24 weeks of starting intermittent fasting. For changes in waist size, the benefits became more noticeable around 48 weeks. This suggests that longer, consistent practice of intermittent fasting gives better results, especially for weight and waist reduction.
Is Intermittent Fasting Right for You?
Intermittent fasting is generally safe for healthy adults. However, it may not be suitable for everyone—especially those with diabetes, eating disorders, or certain medical conditions. Always talk to your doctor before starting any new diet plan.
Also, this review focused mostly on studies from high-income countries and didn’t break down results by age or gender. So while the results are promising, more research is needed to understand how fasting affects different groups of people.
The Bottom Line: A Simple Lifestyle Change That Works
Intermittent fasting appears to be a useful and simple method to help lower blood pressure and manage weight. It can help people with elevated blood pressure reduce their risk of developing full-blown hypertension and related health issues. It doesn’t require special foods or complicated meal plans—just a different way of timing your meals.
If you’re looking for a natural way to improve your heart health, intermittent fasting might be worth trying—after consulting with a healthcare provider.