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Olivia Nelson

Professor Bell

English 1201

25 October 2019

Annotated Bibliography

My essay will decipher whether or not intermittent fasting actually works as a solution

for weight loss and anti-aging. It will also look into the science behind what the body goes

through while being fasted, along with any benefits or dangers that one might experience.

1. Collier, Roger. “Intermittent Fasting: the Science of Going Without.” CMAJ : Canadian

Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne,

Canadian Medical Association, 11 June 2013,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3680567/. Accessed 20 October 2019.

This is an article written by Roger Collier for the US National Library of Medicine

National Institutes of Health. It discusses whether or not intermittent fasting actually works or if

it’s a fad, since many doctors and nutrition experts are prone to dismissing fads out of hand. It

also discusses whether or not people who practice intermittent fasting will be more prone to

eating disorders, such as anorexia and binge-eating. I plan on using this article as a credible

source to discuss the potential effects that intermittent fasting has on its users.

2. Gordon, Barbara. “What Is Intermittent Fasting.” EatRight,

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www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/fad-diets/what-is-intermittent-fasting. Accessed 25

October 2019.

This is a very recent article that goes into depth about what intermittent fasting

actually is and the different varieties of it. It discusses how there isn’t just one type of

intermittent fasting, but several different types. I plan on using this as an example for skeptics

who are not very open minded. There’s dozens of varieties and renditions of intermittent fasting,

which makes it easy to see whether or not it would be something that would fit into your

schedule or lifestyle.

3. Harvard Health Publishing. “Not so Fast: Pros and Cons of the Newest Diet Trend.” Harvard

Health, 31 July 2019,

www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/not-so-fast-pros-and-cons-of-the-newest-diet-trend.

Accessed 20 October 2019.

This is an article written by Harvard Health Publishing derived from Harvard Medical

School. It discusses the pros and cons of intermittent fasting, along with the potential pitfalls that

it can have on your body and mind. I will use this article to discuss what types of people should

stay away from intermittent fasting, such as people with diabetes or people who take medications

for blood pressure or heart disease, because they may be more prone to electrolyte abnormalities

from fasting.

4. Kresser, Chris. “Intermittent Fasting: The Science Behind the Trend.” Chris Kresser,

Chriskresser.com, 16 Aug. 2019,

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chriskresser.com/intermittent-fasting-the-science-behind-the-trend/. Accessed 25 October

2019.

This article goes into what the most common methods of are, and provides an in-depth

description of each one. Although there are countless methods that can be self-generated, it’s

nice to have all the most commonly used ones described by a credible health practitioner. I will

use this to describe different examples of intermittent fasting and show how unique and versatile

it can be. It also discusses how this is also called the “ancestry diet,” because it’s how our

ancestors used to eat. Our bodies were not made to be constantly fed throughout the day, they

were made for the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. This is something I can also bring up in my essay.

5. Levesque, Bill, et al. “Intermittent Fasting Leads to Significant Weight Loss, Slows Aging, UF

Research Review Finds.” UF Health, University of Florida Health, 26 Apr. 2018,

ufhealth.org/news/2018/intermittent-fasting-leads-significant-weight-loss-slows-aging-uf

-research-review-finds. Accessed 25 October 2019.

This is an article written by the University of Florida Health. It discusses the actual

science behind why intermittent fasting works. It discusses the metabolic switch that gets turned

on after a period of fasting, along with how the body moves from burning glucose, or sugar, for

energy to fatty acids and their byproduct, ketones. I will use this article as a credible source to go

in depth scientifically and discuss why and how intermittent fasting works.

6. Liz Weinandy. “Does Intermittent Fasting Work?” Ohio State Medical Center, 18 Apr. 2018,
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wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/does-intermittent-fasting-work.

This article is written by Liz Weinandy, is a registered dietitian for Nutrition Services at

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. It discusses the many benefits of intermittent

fasting, such as weight loss, improved mental state, improved fat-burning, increased growth

hormone production, lowered blood cholesterol and a reduction of inflammation. It also states

that the American Heart Association says there’s evidence that both alternate-day fasting and

periodic fasting may be effective for short-term weight loss. I can use this as evidence for the

benefits of fasting in my essay.

7. Patterson, Ruth E. “Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting.” Annual Reviews, 2017,

www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-nutr-071816-064634. Accessed 20

October 2019.

This article goes extremely in-depth about fasting. It provides statistics as well as

experiments performed by people who practiced intermittent fasting. It also goes in depth on the

history of fasting and the types of religious fasting that has been used for centuries. I am

definitely going to use this article a lot in my essay. I’m going to use the statistics and historical

evidence to support my claim.

8. Purcell , Sarah. “Intermittent Fasting – Healthy or Hype?” American Society for Nutrition, 18

June 2019, nutrition.org/intermittent-fasting-healthy-or-hype/. Accessed 20 October

2019.

This article about intermittent fasting is from the American Society for Nutrition and is
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written by Sarah Purcell, who is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta. It

discusses how the Annual Review of Nutrition concluded that intermittent fasting might be a

viable strategy to benefit overall human health, including improvements in biomarkers associated

with chronic disease. I can use this as a credible source to further support my claim.

9. Tello, Monique. “Intermittent Fasting: Surprising Update.” Harvard Health Blog, 26 June

2018,

www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156.

Accessed 20 October 2019.

This article is from Harvard Health Publishing derived from Harvard Medical School. It

talks about the backstory of intermittent fasting and how it can help with weight loss. It also

discusses how new research is suggesting that not all IF approaches are the same, and some are

actually very reasonable, effective, and sustainable. It states that just changing the timing of

meals, by eating earlier in the day and extending the overnight fast, significantly benefited

metabolism even in people who didn’t lose a single pound. I can use this in my essay to further

back up my claim.

10. Zhang, Sharon. “Aging and Intermittent Fasting Impact on Transcriptional Regulation and

Physiological Responses of Adult Drosophila Neuronal and Muscle Tissues.” Sinclair

Community College Library, eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=bef1d1c1-

44f1-41f0-ba08-

97aea5db6882%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=1294

56164&db=fsr. Accessed 20 October 2019.

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This is a section from a book about how intermittent fasting aids in anti-aging and cell

and tissue rejuvenation. It discusses how when we don’t eat, our body breaks down cells that are

already in our body. However, our body doesn’t break down good or healthy cells, it breaks

down broken or damaged cells. This aids in rejuvenation of our bodies, which is very beneficial

to our overall well being. I will use this in my essay to discuss the benefits of intermittent fasting.