Intermittent Fasting for Parkinson's: Can It Help Manage Symptoms?

Are you curious about the potential of intermittent fasting (IF) to improve Parkinson's symptoms? In this episode of Live Parkinson’s - Live an Exceptional Life, we dive into the science, benefits, and practical steps for incorporating IF into your routine. Discover how fasting may enhance brain function, reduce inflammation, boost energy, and even support weight management—critical factors for living well with Parkinson’s.

You’ll learn:
✅ What intermittent fasting is and how it works
✅ The role of ketosis and autophagy in brain and cellular health
✅ Potential benefits for managing motor symptoms, fatigue, and overall well-being
✅ Challenges and risks unique to Parkinson’s—and how to navigate them
✅ Simple tips to safely start your intermittent fasting journey

Take control of your health today! Whether you’re new to IF or looking to fine-tune your approach, this episode offers actionable insights tailored for people with Parkinson’s.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review—together, we can empower the Parkinson’s community!

#IntermittentFasting #ParkinsonsAwareness #BrainHealth #ParkinsonsDiet #LiveAnExceptionalLife #ParkinsonsSupport #Ketosis #HealthyLiving

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References:

• Intermittent Fasting, Fatty AcidMetabolism, Re-Programming and Neuroimmuno Microenvironment Mechanisms, and Application Prospects, Frontiers in Nutrition, Zhang, et.al, 10/23/24
• Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications, Cellular Metabolism, Longo, Mattson February 4, 2015

Chapters

• 0:11 Exploring Intermittent Fasting for Parkinson's
• 10:06 Exploring Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
• 16:47 Overcoming Challenges in Intermittent Fasting

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:11

Welcome to Live Parkinson's. Live an Exceptional Life the podcast where we explore tools, strategies and inspiring stories to help you live your best life with Parkinson's. I'm your host, chris Kustamater, and I've been living an exceptional life with Parkinson's the last 15 years, and I'm so glad you're here today. Now, today we're diving into a fascinating and potentially game-changing topic intermittent fasting. You probably heard about it, maybe as a trendy way to lose weight, but did you know it might also have benefits for managing Parkinson's symptoms. Imagine a simple dietary strategy that could improve your energy, support brain health and even reduce inflammation. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Well, join me and we'll unpack the science, the benefits, the challenges and practical ways to incorporate intermittent fasting into your life safely and effectively. To incorporate intermittent fasting into your life safely and effectively. Now I'll be honest with you. I've tried intermittent fasting in the past, but didn't stick with it, mainly because I wasn't totally committed at the time. However, one of my major goals in 2025 is to lose about 60 pounds, because I've gotten to an unhealthy weight and I'm determined to change. So I feel healthier, I'm more mobile and, quite frankly, at 61 years old, I want to be around, to spend time with my family and watch my granddaughter Bonnie grow up and be an active part of her life. I don't want to pass away prematurely due to obesity related issues, so I'm going to be incorporating intermittent fasting into my weight loss plan, based on all the science and research I've done on it, and I wanted to share what I've learned about intermittent fasting with all of you in the event that you want to review it with your healthcare professional. Now, please ensure that you review any new nutrition or diet plans with your healthcare professional before starting to ensure it meets your personal needs and can be incorporated into your treatment plan. So let's take a look at what we'll be covering in this podcast. We'll start with understanding intermittent fasting what it is, how it works and why it's relevant for neurological health. Then we'll transition to the benefits of intermittent fasting for Parkinson's symptoms. Then we'll transition to the benefits of intermittent fasting for Parkinson's symptoms. We'll explore improved energy regulation, reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, look at brain function and neuroprotection, and then motor and non-motor symptoms. Then it's time to look at challenges and risks of intermittent fasting for people with Parkinson's and look at common challenges, specific risks for Parkinson's patients and mitigation strategies to help overcome these challenges. Finally, we'll provide practical tips for getting started with intermittent fasting.

Speaker 1: 2:56

So if you're ready, let's get into it and talk about what is intermittent fasting. First let's define intermittent fasting, or IF as it's often called. Now, in the simplest terms, intermittent fasting is a way of eating that alternates between periods of eating and periods of fasting. Now let's be clear Intermediate fasting is not starvation. Starvation is an involuntary and often prolonged lack of food intake which could be due to poverty, lack of access to food, neglect or control by others. It's not controlled or planned and can lead to severe malnutrition and health complications.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Intermittent fasting is a planned and controlled eating pattern which you can start or stop at any time. It's used by people for various health benefits, including improved metabolism, weight loss, more energy. So now that we have that out of the way, there are several popular methods of intermittent fasting, including the 16-8 method, and that's where you fast for 16 hours and then you eat during an eight-hour window. So, for example, let's say you finish dinner at 6 pm Then in order to fast for 16 hours. Then you don't eat again until 10 am. So you've met your 16 hours, and the nice thing about this one is you can actually be sleeping a majority of the time that you're fasting. The 5-2 method is another method, where you eat normally for five days and then you restrict calories for two days, then there's a 12-12 fasting schedule, and then some people do a 24 to 36 hour fast as well.

Speaker 1: 4:41

So what's happening in our bodies during these fasting hours? Well, that's a great question. When you fast, your body shifts from using glucose or sugar as its primary energy source to burning fat for fuel. This produces an effect called ketosis and produces molecules called ketones. Now, those of you that have read or heard about the keto diet, this is what the keto diet is all about. It's converting your body so that it burns ketones rather than glucose. Now ketones are an alternate energy source for your brain and your body when glucose isn't readily available. Now ketosis can have a powerful effect on our cellular health and even our brain function.

Speaker 1: 5:29

All right, now that we know what intermittent fasting is, you may be thinking why are we talking about intermittent fasting in a Parkinson's podcast? Well, as it turns out, fasting can influence some of the very processes that are disrupted in Parkinson's disease, so I thought it would be important to share with you how intermittent fasting may help, based on the science. So let's explore some of these processes Now. First, there's a process called autophagy. Now, autophagy is a fancy word for cellular cleanup. During fasting, your body ramps up autophagy and what it does is that means it clears out your damaged cells and promotes cellular repair. Now, for people with Parkinson's, where damaged neurons are a hallmark of the disease, based on the damage done by the clumping of alpha-synuclein, intermittent fasting could possibly be beneficial. Now again, please discuss any changes to your diet with your healthcare professional.

Speaker 1: 6:31

Second, fasting reduces inflammation. Chronic inflammation is one of the contributors, based on the research, leading to many of the neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's. Intermittent fasting reduces, has the potential to reduce, inflammation that can worsen our Parkinson's symptoms. Now you may be thinking that sounds great, Chris, but is there any science that backs up intermittent fasting and autophagy and reducing inflammation? Well, in a review article and this is a long one it's called Intermittent Fasting, fatty Acid Metabolism, reprogramming and Neuroimmunomicroenvironment Mechanisms and Application Prospects and again, that's a mouthful, and that was published in Frontiers in Nutrition. The authors note that intermittent fasting not only facilitates fatty acid oxidation meaning you're burning fat for fuel and improves metabolic health, but also enhances mitochondrial function, mitigates oxidative stress and promotes autophagy. And again, that's cellular cleanup. Now these mechanisms contribute to its substantial preventative and therapeutic potential in various conditions, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Speaker 1: 7:52

The authors also noted that, beyond intermittent fasting's effects on the metabolic health, intermittent fasting has also garnered considerable attention for its regulation of the neuroimmune microenvironment. Now, the neuroimmune microenvironment refers to the complex network of interactions between the nervous and the immune system which play a critical part and role in neuroinflammation, neuroprotection and repair processes. They go on to say that intermittent fasting regulates neuroimmune responses by influencing metabolic products from fatty acid metabolism, such as ketone bodies. So, in layman's terms, intermittent fasting can play a significant role in helping to reduce neuroinflammation and, potentially, helping people live with Parkinson's lead a better quality of life. Now here's a fascinating fact Animal studies have shown that intermittent fasting can protect neurons, enhance dopamine production and even improve motor function. Now, while human studies are still in their early stages, the potential is too exciting to ignore. But, as always, research is needed to fully understand these effects in humans, especially those of us living with Parkinson's.

Speaker 1: 9:12

Okay, now that we have a handle on what intermittent fasting is and why it's relevant to neurological health, let's turn our attention to some of the potential and that's the key word here benefits of intermittent fasting for people living with Parkinson's, and leading us off is improved energy levels. Intermittent fasting may potentially improve energy levels in people with Parkinson's through several mechanisms. However, clinical studies specifically demonstrate improved energy levels in humans with PD are very limited, so there's not a lot of clinical research out there on improved energy level for people living with PD. Now let's look at some of the mechanisms that may potentially improve energy levels through intermittent fasting, and the first is mitochondrial function. Intermittent fasting may enhance mitochondrial function.

Speaker 1: 10:06

Okay, you're probably thinking what are mitochondria and what is their function? What are you even talking about, chris? Well, I'm going to ask you to go back into the deep recesses of your mind, to high school biology class. So imagine you're sitting in the second row, third seat, and you're studying the cell, and the teacher asks the question what are mitochondria and what is their function? You confidently raise your hand and answer that mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell and are responsible for energy production. You nailed it and you look like a genius in front of class. See, aren't memories great? So why is enhancing mitochondrial function important? In Parkinson's, mitochondrial function contributes to energy deficits within neurons, which can lead to fatigue and lack of energy. So people with Parkinson's have mitochondrial dysfunction, so we sometimes create energy deficits which can cause fatigue and lack of energy. So intermittent fasting may help to enhance mitochondrial function, helping our energy levels and again, that's the key word there was may.

Speaker 1: 11:21

The next is cellular stress response. Intermittent fasting can help activate cellular stress response pathways, promoting cellular repair or autophagy, and potentially improving how we utilize energy. So if autophagy cleans up damaged cells, the other cells are therefore able to work more efficiently. Now the study Fasting Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications that was published in Cellular Metabolism. The author concluded that one general mechanism of action of fasting is that it triggers adaptive cellular stress responses which result in an enhanced ability to cope with more severe stress and counteract disease processes. The next mechanism is inflammation. Now, chronic inflammation is associated with Parkinson's and contribute to fatigue. Intermittent fasting, as mentioned earlier, may have anti-inflammatory effects, potentially reducing inflammation-related fatigue. In a study published in the journal Cell, mount Sinai, researchers found that fasting reduces inflammation and improves chronic inflammatory diseases without affecting the immune system's response to acute infection. So if we can use intermittent fasting to reduce inflammation, that can potentially help us improve our energy levels. All right, these mechanisms resulting from intermittent fasting and potentially helping to improve energy levels. It's important to note again that direct clinical evidence demonstrating improved energy levels in people with Parkinson's due to intermittent fasting is currently limited. So essentially, there needs to be studies looking at intermittent fasting and its relationship to inflammation on people with Parkinson's in order to have the data available to say yes it does or no it doesn't. Now I want to stress again that people with Parkinson's should consult their healthcare provider before starting any new dietary regimen, including intermittent fasting, to ensure it's safe and appropriate for your individual needs.

Speaker 1: 13:35

Okay, we've looked in detail at the first potential benefit of intermittent fasting improved energy levels. Let's move on to the second potential benefit, and that's enhanced brain function. Let's look at several mechanisms which may potentially enhance brain function in people with PD. The first is neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Intermittent fasting may stimulate the production of new brain cells, which is neurogenesis, and enhance the brain's ability to reorganize and form new connections, thereby helping us learn new things. So I talked about neuroplasticity in some other podcasts. So let's say we want to learn to play a musical instrument. Through neuroplasticity, we make neural connections and that's going to help us learn to play maybe the drums or the flute or the cello.

Speaker 1: 14:23

Now the next mechanism is brain-derived neurotropic factors. Now, wait, there's a lot of words in there. It sounds like a bunch of gobbledygook. Well, essentially, intermittent fasting can increase levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor, which is a protein crucial to brain cell survival and growth. I must be pretty lacking in that one then, I guess. So that was a mouthful, that's brain-derived neurotropic factors. Next up is insulin sensitivity. Intermittent fasting may help improve insulin sensitivity, which is important for brain function.

Speaker 1: 15:02

Animal studies have shown that intermittent fasting can protect neurons from damage and improve cognitive function in various neurological conditions. In addition, animal studies have shown that intermittent fasting may protect dopaminergic neurons and improve motor function. Now it's important to note that, while animal studies are promising, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of intermittent fasting on brain function in people with PD. To fully understand the effects of intermittent fasting on brain function in people with PD. Now coming in at number three on our list of potential benefits for PD is reduced motor symptoms. Now, while some animal studies have shown improvements in motor function with intermittent fasting, research on people with Parkinson's, again, is limited. However, some early research suggests that intermittent fasting might improve motor function and that's the key word, might by enhancing the brain's ability to adapt and repair, although sometimes I feel like my brain's in the garage for repair.

Speaker 1: 16:00

And now for our final benefit, which is one I struggle with, and that's weight management. Now, many people with Parkinson's struggle with weight gain due to inactivity or medication side effects, although weight loss is typically more common in people with PD. Now, intermittent fasting can help regulate weight without extreme dieting, alrighty. So there are the potential benefits of intermittent fasting with Parkinson's. But for fair balance, if I'm going to talk about the benefits, I also need to talk about the challenges and risks that intermittent fasting may pose, especially for people living with Parkinson's. Now for those of us that love to eat and I can be found right at the front of the line for that one the first challenge is drum roll, please.

Speaker 1: 16:47

Hunger and fatigue. When starting intermittent fasting, it's common to feel hungry and want to start going into the kitchen and pantry and grazing, and then you also may experience periods of where you're tired and fatigued. The good news is that those symptoms usually fade after a few days to a week. Now I've personally noticed that when I do intermittent fasting, that I may feel hungry when I first wake up, about nine to 10 hours after eating, but I drink a full glass of water and the hunger goes away. And if I keep myself active and I find I don't have any trouble in doing that, I don't have any trouble making it through the fast, because that usually takes my mind off of being hungry and I find myself not being hungry and then saying, oh, I have to eat now. Now again, honestly, I'm speaking from my own personal experience with intermittent fasting. But in terms of fatigue, as I mentioned earlier, I didn't notice any significant difference whether I've eaten or whether I fasted. All right.

Speaker 1: 17:53

Number two on our challenge list is medication timing. Now, this is a big one. Many Parkinson's medications need to be taken with food, which can make fasting windows tricky. You're going to want to work closely with your healthcare team to find a fasting schedule that works for you. So, depending on the medications, intermittent fasting might be an option for you and, again, it might not be. That's up to you and your healthcare provider. Coming in at number three on our challenge list is low blood sugar. Now, for those who are already managing blood sugar levels, fasting could potentially lead to hypoglycemia, which is low blood sugar. Again, that's why it's so important to consult your healthcare professional before you make any significant dietary changes. Also, if you typically have low blood sugar, you're going to want to regularly check your blood sugar levels to prevent hypoglycemia and adjust your fasting schedule as needed.

Speaker 1: 18:51

Number four on our countdown of challenges is malnutrition. Now, if not done correctly, intermittent fasting can lead to insufficient nutrient intake, especially for people with PD, who may have difficulty eating or swallowing. Ensuring adequate nutrient intake during the eating window is essential. And then, finally, rounding out our top five challenges and risks, is dizziness and lightheadedness. Dehydration can occur during fasting, leading to dizziness and lightheadedness, which can present a potential problem for people with PD, who are already at risk of falling. So it's important to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Speaker 1: 19:32

Maybe you can relate to a few of these challenges, either based on personal experience or from what you've heard or read. Now, I've always believed that, no matter what the challenge that lies in front of us is, there's always a way to overcome the challenge, and the same holds true for intermittent fasting. Now, one of the TV shows in the late 80s that I used to really love was MacGyver. Now, if you're not familiar with MacGyver. He was a secret agent who worked as a troubleshooter for a fictionary company called the Phoenix Foundation. Now, as part of his job, he often found himself captured or was stuck somewhere that looked like there was no way to get out. But MacGyver was always very resourceful and would often think through the situation and then use some of the simplest items to free himself Duct tape, paper clips, twisty ties so he could fix anything by using whatever he could find in the area.

Speaker 1: 20:30

So, while intermittent fasting has challenges and risks and they may seem daunting, but remember there's always ways to overcome the challenges we just discussed and you just have to work through them with your healthcare professional and maybe a dietician All right. With your healthcare professional and maybe a dietician, all right. So what are we waiting for? Let's find out how to overcome some of the fasting challenges. First is you want to consult your healthcare professional before starting any intermittent fasting regimen and you might get a registered dietician involved and a movement disorder specialist. They can assess your individual needs, medication and any type of interactions that your medications may have, and then they can also create a safe and personalized plan for you as well. Second is start gradually, just like with exercise, don't go out and try to kill yourself right off the get-go. So you want to begin fasting with shorter fasting periods and then gradually increase as you want to begin fasting with shorter fasting periods and then gradually increase as you begin to tolerate them. So maybe you don't want to start out with a 16-hour fast. Maybe you want to start out with an 8-hour fast or a 10 to 12-hour fast and then build on it.

Speaker 1: 21:41

Next is you want to prioritize nutrient-dense foods. And what are nutrient-dense foods, you ask? Well, think of fruits, veggies, whole grains that contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibers. Now you want to avoid processed and sugary foods and ensure that you get adequate protein intake in your diet as well. Number four is hydration. You want to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, and you can also eat a lot of fruits, and vegetables contain a lot of water Cucumbers, celery, melons, citrus fruits. So hydration is particularly important when fasting, because people with PD can become dehydrated quickly without really noticing. And then number five is listen to your body. You want to pay close attention to how your body responds to intermittent fasting. If you experience any adverse effects, stop and talk to your doctor. And then one thing you can do, too, is consider alternative approaches. So, if traditional intermediate fasting proves too challenging, explore alternative approaches like time-restricted feeding, so, for example, eating within a specific eight-hour window, or use modified fasting methods.

Speaker 1: 22:57

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Speaker 1: 24:24

All right, let's switch gears and head down the home stretch. Are you thinking about giving intermittent fasting a try? Well, here's some practical examples of how to get started. Number one start slowly. As I mentioned earlier, you might want to begin with a 12-hour fast and then gradually increase to 14 and then maybe go to 16 hours as your body adapts. Now, the nice thing about starting with a 12-hour window is close to two-thirds to three-quarters of the time you'll be sleeping. So if you finish dinner at 7 and don't eat anything else, you can break your fast at 7 am the next morning. A 16-hour fast would allow you to eat again at 11 am. Second hydrate. Make sure to drink plenty of water, even when you're not thirsty. Consider adding electrolytes electrolytes to stay hydrated during your fasting periods, and then you can also buy water waters that contain electrolytes as well.

Speaker 1: 25:23

Number three is choose the right foods. Again, focus on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods during your eating windows. So think of leafy green vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and avocados, and lean protein. And number four exercise. Yes, I said that dreaded word again Now I found exercise helps stave off hunger. So find something you enjoy and start exercising. It's really going to help you when you're doing intermittent fasting. And then, number five keep busy. So when you first start, you may be focusing on food and hunger, which makes you want to eat. So find things to keep yourself busy and you won't feel hungry and the fasting time will seem to go a lot faster. So make sure you track your progress, track your energy levels and overall well-being to see how fasting is going to affect you.

Speaker 1: 26:18

All right, as we explore today, intermittent fasting holds a lot of promise as a tool for managing Parkinson's symptoms. Now, while it's not a magic bullet, it's another potential strategy in the toolkit for living a great quality of life with Parkinson's. Remember, though, intermittent fasting isn't for everyone. Always consult your doctor before making any major changes to your diet or routine. Now, if you found this episode helpful, share it with someone you know who might benefit, because knowledge is power and together we can make a difference. Visit liveparkinsonscom to subscribe to the free monthly newsletter, and there's also several other additional free resources on there to help you live a great quality of life, as well as a number of articles to help you learn a little bit more about Parkinson's and how to live a great quality of life. Now, if you feel like I'm providing a benefit and want to support the podcast and development of an online course for helping people with Parkinson's live their best, visit my Ko-fi page ko-ficom slash liveparkinsons and buy me a cup of coffee Now, before we close, one of the references that I would recommend for intermittent fasting is Dr Jason Fung MD.

Speaker 1: 27:34

He's based out of Toronto. He's a nephrologist that runs a weight loss clinic, because his whole focus is on looking at the causes of obesity rather than just treating the symptoms. So he has several books. One's called Obesity Code and he has another one called the Complete Fasting Guide. I have both of those and highly recommend those as well. So you can do a search for Dr Jason Fung MD and also you can follow him on YouTube. He has a number of videos on fasting. So, as we close, I want you to remember to stay healthy, stay strong and live your best life with Parkinson's. Thanks for listening and I hope you all have a spectacular day and I hope to see you soon. Thank you.