Targeting

Intended isocaloric time-restricted eating shifts circadian clocks but does not improve cardiometabolic health in women with overweight

Authors

Beeke Peters, Julia Schwarz, Bettina Schuppelius, Agnieszka Ottawa, Daniela A Koppold, Daniela Weber, Nico Steckhan, Knut Mai, Tilman Grune, Andreas F H Pfeiffer, Andreas Michalsen, Achim Kramer, Olga Pivovarova-Ramich

Journal

Science Translational Medicine

Abstract

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a promising strategy to improve metabolic outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether TRE has cardiometabolic benefits in an isocaloric setting and whether its effects depend on the eating timing. We conducted a randomized crossover trial in 31 women with overweight or obesity to directly compare the effects of a 2-week early TRE (eTRE; eating from 8:00 to 16:00) and a 2-week late TRE (lTRE; eating from 13:00 to 21:00) on insulin sensitivity, cardiometabolic risk factors, and the internal circadian phase. During the restricted 8-hour eating period, participants were asked to consume their habitual food quality and quantity. Insulin sensitivity did not differ between (-0.07; 95% CI, -0.77 to 0.62; P = 0.60) or within (eTRE: 0.31; 95% CI, -0.14 to 0.76; P = 0.11; lTRE: 0.19; 95% CI, -0.22 to 0.60; P = 0.25) interventions. Twenty-four-hour glucose, lipid, inflammatory, and oxidative stress markers showed no clinically meaningful between- or within-intervention differences. Participants demonstrated high timely adherence (eTRE, 96.5%; lTRE, 97.7%), unchanged dietary composition and physical activity, minor daily calorie deficit (eTRE, -167 kilocalories/day), and weight loss (eTRE, -1.08 kilograms; lTRE, -0.44 kilograms). In lTRE, the circadian phase in blood monocytes (24 minutes; 95% CI, -5 to 54 minutes; P = 0.10) and sleep midpoint (15 minutes; 95% CI, 7 to 23 minutes; P< 0.001) occurred later compared with eTRE. Overall, in an intended isocaloric setting, neither eTRE nor lTRE improves insulin sensitivity or other cardiometabolic traits, despite a shift of internal circadian clocks.

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Supporting media

Member authors

Research area

B01

Targeting

Circadian rhythms and chronotherapy in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis features disturbances in sleep, metabolism, and immune activity across the circadian cycle, which may actively contribute to disease activity. This project investigates how these rhythms influence disease progression and whether strengthening them can be therapeutically beneficial.

Circadian rhythms and chronotherapy in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis features disturbances in sleep, metabolism, and immune activity across the circadian cycle, which may actively contribute to disease activity. This project investigates how these rhythms influence disease progression and whether strengthening them can be therapeutically beneficial.