intermittent fasting & AF

[sugaredalmonds]

Hi everyone,

As many of you were so helpful with my question on decaf coffee, I thought I would ask for opinions on AF & intermittent fasting.

Has anyone tried it, if so, I would very much like to hear your thoughts.

[mjames1]

I do it on and off. For example, eat my first meal around 11 and my second around 4:30. That gives me a lot of time to digest before bedtime which is good for my GERD. As to losing weight, not sure if the jury is in or not. Of course, if you end up eating less calories, then you would lose weight. However, if you consume the same amount of calories but in a tighter window, not sure about that even though some proponents claim you will. Intermittent fasting can also be good for controlling blood sugar.

Jim

[sugaredalmonds in reply to mjames1]

Thanks.

[Peacefulneedshelp in reply to mjames1]

Yes I do the same as you. They do say it is supposed allow for detoxing while not eating I haven’t really lost that much weight but I don’t gain either.

[mjm1971]

I’m in permanent AF and i intermittent fast for circa 20 to 22 hours every day .

I only eat between 6pm and 9pm and my resting BPM has dropped from 86 to 76bpm

I started doing it to lose weight ( I’ve lost 2 stone since last September ) I was 15.6 stone and now 13.4stone

I started fasting for 12 hours then built up and Yes I’m in a calorie deficit of 500 cals per day

And I just eat all my calories in that 2 to 3 hour window.

I definitely feel so much better as it controls sugar spikes and obviously I eat healthy in that window .

[sugaredalmonds in reply to mjm1971]

Hi, thanks sounds like it works pretty well for you.

[CDreamer]

There are various forms but yes, the only way I started to lose weight. I can’t fast now for days as I used so now stick to the Eating Window - everything I eat has to be between 9.30am to 7pm, roughly a 10 hour window - I used to have a much tighter window but because I have to take meds with food, that limits what I can now do but I sometimes will only have a home made small-veggie smoothie or green soup made with bone broth as a meal just to take my meds.

Humans were not meant to feed continuously and your gut needs a rest, just like the rest of us.

People to read - Mosley and Prof Spectre from the Zoe Project on Intermittent Fasting but any good doctor interested in nutrition for health will tell you the same.

[sugaredalmonds in reply to CDreamer]

Hi, thanks, I agree we are not meant to eat continuously, in fact these days eating is almost like a pastime.

[dmjtanner in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks CD, I agree and was wondering if anyone else had to take meds with food and not on an empty stomach. That does limit the fasting hours.

[raymelb]

I've been doing IF (or TRE, as some people call it) intermittently (not very funny pun intended) over the last 3 years, usually 16:8 or 18:6. I've never had an issue with AF whilst I've been doing it. Since 1st January, I've been ranging between 16:8 to 20:4 and still no issues. Lost 10kgs so far and very happy!

[Hidden]

Like raymelb I use it on an off and it helps me to control my weight to around 75 - 77 kg. I also watch the content of my food so consume a lot of fresh veg ( my other half who is a devoted “meat only” carnivore is convinced I’m poisoning myself).

I also enjoy the discipline ( a bit of OCD?) , enjoy the preparation and love the growing of it .. and all that helps me to fell better and that works for me against my AF

[irene75359]

I used to fast intermittently, but not intentionally, I was just never hungry first thing in the morning and would eventually have a brunch about 12 midday. But going without food played havoc with my blood sugar levels and after several very unpleasant episodes, I now don't leave home until I have eaten, hungry or not. But my weight has remained steady all my life bar a few fluctuations downwards in the past couple of years due to treatment for something unrelated to AF. My AF has never been affected negatively.

My son-in-law controls his weight through intermittent fasting, he hasn't an ounce of spare flesh on him and eats very large portions when he does eat!

Best of luck!

[Tomred]

Hi , i done intermittent fasting about one and a half years ago and lost 1 stone in 3 weeks, it was also helping prolong the distance between afib bouts, i then slipped back to my old ways, but since november past i started again but not just as strict this time but ive lost a stone again, but no effect on afib so far, i should add first time i also done IF with keto.

[sugaredalmonds in reply to Tomred]

Hi, that’s a good weight loss in such a short time, & you believe it helped extend the time between AFib episodes, which is an even bigger plus .

[Tomred in reply to sugaredalmonds]

Ibelieve it helped coupled with keto.

[doodle68]

When first diagnosed with AF 6 years ago and after reading the results of the LEGACY study, I set out to lose %10 of my body weight to try to delay the progression of my P-AF.

Not quite fasting I did the '5-2 diet' intending to use it not as a temporary diet but a permanent lifestyle changes. I lost 1.5 stones, have mostly stuck to the changes and I didn't put the weight back on . I also stopped eating /drinking anything but water between 5pm and breakfast, a form of dally fasting.

[secondtry]

My theory: Many people's AF is caused by gastric 'chaos'. This 'chaos' causes anxiety when it travels via the Vagus Nerve to the brain. These two factors then combine and affect the heart (again via the VN) which in turn triggers the AF.

One of the 'cures for AF' I think that has worked for me is to usually have a light tea at 5pm and then not eat again until 7am.

[sugaredalmonds in reply to secondtry]

Hi, thanks, & I see the logic in your theory.

[Notnas]

IF has been a game changer for me!!!!!!! I started getting AF 30 years ago (I'm 61 now) usually after overseas trips or too much wine. AF progressed over the years from a few per year to a few per month and then permanent during Covid. Cardio docs and primary care doc said it was "benign" until then - boy was that wrong. I am pretty symptomatic in AF - dizzy when I stand up, no ability to really do any cardio without HR spiking above 130, and mood is depressed. My cholesterol and triglycerides were both borderline high (224/129) and my BMI was 25 also borderline high.

I was in persistent AF for 18 months starting mid 2021 - dronedarone and then 2 cardioversions in october 2022 did not work. I was very worried because of what I had read here and elsewhere about the improbablility of getting back into NSR after prolonged AF. Vicious cycle where AF/mood prevented exercise leading to more AF and depression. Got very little lifestyle advice from docs.

Ablation in November 2022 followed by 2 days of NSR and then almost 8 weeks of afib. Stayed on dronedarone, eliquis, and metoprolol succinate. Very depressed.

Started IF on 1/2 (18 hrs fasting) and also removed most carbs and alcohol (still have ~5 drinks per week with dinner) from diet. Mood improved immediately. Cardioversion on 1/11 successful and then pretty much NSR since. Big improvement in mood and getting back in shape on the Peleton. Lower appetite in general. You do need to be careful about overeating when you break your fast but generally not starving in the morning.

Also started taking berberine, magnesium, and taurine. Docs said I could stop dronedarone but staying on eliquis and metoprolol. I believe berberine improves fasting by lowering blood sugar but it also has some cardiovascular benefits and does not seem to have many interactions. Lost a few pounds but noticeable reduction of fat around the middle. Curious to see my lipids after annual checkup next week.

Hard to say whether it was the ablation, diet composition, supplements, or fasting (probably a combination) but I'm sticking with it. Only 2 diet decisions per day - start, stop. Every day I wake in NSR is like a gift.

So there is hope for long term persistent afibbers out there!

[sugaredalmonds in reply to Notnas]

Hi, thank you for your response, sorry to hear you have had af for such a long time, I am just in my eleventh year.

[Sustainedvtach270]

Hello. I have been doing intermittant fasting for over a year. I only have 1 meal a day between noon and 4pm. It helped with my IBS. It helped me be more patient, more focused in doing the important task in the morning. I accomplish so much more. And my lunch is like a feast... No problem with afib. I only had some PVC's when I was very active and ate later. But I now have an early snack around noon on those days with a kiwi and some V8.

[DawnTX]

I would say as long as you are not also diabetic it shouldn’t hurt you it might make you feel better. I start my day with a really good breakfast later in the morning and normally I really do not eat anything else until an early dinner around five or six my time. I had noticed that being too full gave me palpitations at the least, and an overall awful feeling of my a fib, and it did not take long to hit me after eating. I also found I do not get hungry as I once did. Give it a try on a day that you’re feeling good to start out. If at some point when you know it’s been a while since you ate you start feeling your a fib I would maybe try it another day but if you keep getting the same feeling, I would not continue. We are all so different, no one can really tell you except your own body

[sugaredalmonds in reply to DawnTX]

Hi,

No, I am not diabetic, thank you for your suggestions, I will give it a try tomorrow.

[DawnTX in reply to sugaredalmonds]

let us know how you do. I think it’s a great idea to reset your body every so often anyway.

[Peacefulneedshelp in reply to DawnTX]

I know someone that is diabetic and does this and has regulated her sugar level she has it back to normal.

[DawnTX in reply to Peacefulneedshelp]

I would just suggest be careful if you have relatively normal because you do not want to go too low. One of the most important things of being diabetic is keeping things level if your blood sugar level runs highit would make sense that it makes you level by skipping snacks, etc. you have to know your own body

[Peacefulneedshelp]

youtube.com/shorts/Xbr8nvqt.... Check this out and see if it helps you decide if fasting is good for you.