Fad weight loss diets can be exhausting. They often involve complex restrictions and eating habits that require a Ph.D. in self-control. And after all that, they hardly ever produce sustainable results. Instead of subscribing to yet another new diet, healthy people today have returned to the age-old method of fasting to lose weight and refresh the body.
This way of eating is called intermittent fasting, and it’s considered a powerful practice for weight loss, longevity and cellular rejuvenation. This type of diet involves scheduling meals during specific periods of time and abstaining from food and caloric drinks for the rest of the day. For example, you could skip a meal each day. Or, you might eat regularly one day and fast the next (known as alternate day fasting, or ADF). The most popular method of intermittent fasting is the 16/8 method, in which you eat during an 8-hour window and fast for 16 hours each day.
Intermittent fasting is popular because the concept is simple, and unlike most other diets, the results are supported by science [1]. But intermittent fasting can have its downsides if you’re not careful about what you eat. Research has found that those who engage in intermittent fasting may be at risk of nutritional deficiencies [2]. This makes sense, as you can’t cut out calories without cutting out nutrients too.
A simple way to make sure you get all of your essential vitamins and minerals during this big dietary change is to take the right supplements for intermittent fasting. That way, you don’t have to spend time meticulously planning your diet, and you can eat more of the foods you want when you break your fast. Below, you learn the best supplementing strategies for intermittent fasting along with the key nutrients to support it.
How To Start Intermittent Fasting
There isn’t a single best way to intermittent fast. Some people eat every day during a short window and others choose to eat one day and abstain from food the next.
According to science, the important part of intermittent fasting is entering a phase called autophagy, which is critical for cellular rejuvenation and hormonal regulation. This stage is accompanied by ketosis, when your body uses up its short-term energy (sugar) and begins burning stored fat. Both of these stages begin after fasting for around 14-16 hours.
So, whatever method of intermittent fasting you choose, try to follow a 14/10 or a 16/8 fasting schedule. If you find it difficult to give up food for that long, start with a 12/12 schedule and work your way up to a longer fasting period.
Healthy Supplementing Strategies for Intermittent Fasting
Typically, you should take your supplements with meals. And that’s no different when intermittent fasting. There are two reasons to take supplements with meals rather than during the fasting stage.
First, if you take them while fasting, you may break your fast. And that ruins the whole thing, doesn’t it? While vitamins and minerals technically aren’t food, supplements can still break your fast due to their other ingredients, which may include a gram or two of sugar or carbohydrates. You can always check if your supplements will break your fast or not by checking the supplement facts panel.
Secondly, taking supplements on an empty stomach could trigger nausea and acid reflux. If this happens during your fast, you can’t take an antacid to help you feel better. It’s best to play it safe and make sure you have food in your belly before adding a supplement into the mix. Combining supplements with meals can also improve your body’s ability to absorb them, ensuring you get the maximum benefit [3].
So, remember to take your supplements when you break your fast. If you follow a 16/8 schedule, take your supplements with a daily meal. If your schedule is to feast on Monday and fast on Tuesday, then Monday should be your supplement day, too.
Supplements for Intermittent Fasting
Magnesium
For many who choose an intermittent diet, weight loss is the ultimate goal. If you want to lighten the load on the scale as quickly as possible, supplement your fast with extra magnesium. This mineral manages the way your body processes insulin, which may significantly reduce your risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes [4].
It’s also involved in the formation of healthy bones and the production of energy [5]. So, if you’re working to replace fat with muscle, supplementing with magnesium may help build your dream bod faster. It strengthens your bones and gives you the energy you need to build more muscle.
Most Americans don’t get enough magnesium in their daily diet, and intermittent fasting can make it even harder to get this essential mineral. Try taking a highly bioavailable supplement like Manna Liposomal Magnesium to get enough magnesium to last through your fast.
Probiotics
Going about your day on an empty stomach isn’t easy. Negative side effects can extend beyond the physical—your mental health could take a hit, too. Since your eating habits and stress levels are controlled by the same part of your brain, when one is affected, the other can be too. Intermittent fasting triggers the release of extra cortisol (the stress hormone), so you might feel stress or anxiety during your fast [6].
That’s where probiotics come in handy. Probiotics such as Liposomal Pre+Probiotic have been found to alleviate stress in studies, as the gut microbiome has a direct impact on the nervous system and hormone levels [7]. The bacteria in your gut also play a role in your mood, so by maintaining a healthy gut with probiotics, you can balance mood swings (also known as getting “hangry”) that sometimes occur during a fast [8].
Folic Acid
The levels of sugar in your body play a huge role in how successfully you can shed that extra weight. Folic acid (aka vitamin B9) is critical in this process since it’s in charge of creating healthy blood cells [9]. And without healthy blood cells, good luck having healthy blood sugar. Research shows that supplementing with folic acid may improve your body’s glycemic control, regulating blood sugar and keeping the pounds down [10].
If you’ve hopped on the intermittent fasting bandwagon in the hopes of losing a few inches off your waistline, don’t overlook this B vitamin. The easiest way to get it is by taking a B complex supplement. You’ll get a full dose of folic acid plus a bunch of other Bs (all of which are essential to holistic health).
Amino Acids
Not all weight gain is bad. In fact, if you’re adding pounds in the form of stronger muscles, that’s a good thing. Eating protein is critical to making that happen—and amino acids are building blocks of proteins that help you build more muscle [11]. It’s hard to pack on protein if you aren’t eating for significant periods of time, and you can’t get all of your essential amino acids (EAAs) without a diverse diet.
If you’re planning to work out while fasting, you may want to supplement with amino acids like DHA to help build muscle, boost recovery and improve performance. As an added bonus, EAAs have been found to reduce appetite, which is a huge benefit when fasting [12].
Multivitamin
There are numerous vitamins and minerals that your body needs each day to maintain a foundation of good health. But it can also be overwhelming to start both intermittent fasting and a new supplement regimen at the same time. We know it’s a bit of work, but you need to pay attention to nutrition while intermittent fasting in order to decrease the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies.
Luckily, it’s easy to get started by taking a comprehensive multivitamin once a day with a meal. A multivitamin helps you cover your nutritional bases without having to fill your cabinet with a bunch of supplements. As you learn more about your body’s needs during intermittent fasting, you may choose to add additional supplements like the others on this list.
Don't Fast From Health!
Intermittent fasting is a super popular diet—and for good reason. For once, the science actually supports the effectiveness of this weight loss practice. So, go for it! But don’t let all the glowing reviews of intermittent fasting distract you from the truth: intermittent fasting requires big changes to your diet, and you need to do the work to manage your nutrient intake. If you fail to do so, you will be at risk of physical and mental health issues caused by nutrient deficits. Identifying the right supplements for intermittent fasting can help you achieve the balance you need to lose weight and feel great.
FAQ
Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. It doesn’t prescribe specific foods but rather focuses on when you should eat them. Common methods include the 16/8 method, where you eat during an 8-hour window and fast for 16 hours, and alternate day fasting, where you eat one day and fast the next. This approach is believed to aid in weight loss, improve metabolic health, and contribute to cellular rejuvenation by entering phases like autophagy and ketosis after about 14-16 hours of fasting.
The best supplements to support intermittent fasting include:
- Magnesium: Helps manage insulin and supports energy production and bone health.
- Probiotics: Aid in reducing stress and balancing mood, which can be beneficial during fasting periods.
- Folic Acid: Important for creating healthy blood cells and managing blood sugar levels.
- Amino Acids: Essential for muscle building and recovery, especially if you’re exercising while fasting.
- Multivitamin: Ensures you get a broad range of essential nutrients to support overall health and compensate for potential nutritional gaps due to reduced food intake.
If your supplements contain any calories, even in a small amount, it would technically break a fast. However, it’s best to take supplements with meals to help prevent possible side effects such as nausea or acid reflux. Additionally, taking your supplements with food will avoid any potential disruption to your fasting state and to enhance nutrient absorption.
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/intermittent-fasting/
- https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/outreach/nutr-health-info-sheets/pro-intermittent-fasting
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/morning-or-night-with-food-or-without-answers-to-your-questions-about-taking-supplements/2019/02/04/5fcec02a-2577-11e9-81fd-b7b05d5bed90_story.html
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/magnesium-supplements/faq-20466270
- https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33511258/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7257376/
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/folic-acid/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308657/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22243-amino-acids
- https://neurosciencenews.com/amino-acid-appetite-movement-20291/
