Fasting review finds lower HbA1c, with uncertain weight effects
A review in adults with diabetes found lower HbA1c, while the pooled weight result was inconclusive and study findings varied widely.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The abstract reports lower HbA1c, a blood sugar marker, with intermittent fasting in adults already receiving diabetes treatment. The pooled analysis did not establish a weight benefit. Differences between studies were substantial, and the medication-group results do not demonstrate that insulin users benefit more or justify broad clinical adoption.
This abstract-based summary lacks trial control regimens, intervention lengths and the scale of the pooled HbA1c estimate. Substantial differences between studies limit interpretation of the combined results.
What was actually pooled
The review included several fasting approaches. Only 4 trials, involving 280 participants, contributed to the HbA1c meta-analysis. Its statistically significant reduction came with substantial variation between studies, limiting how confidently one summary describes all participants.
Why treatment groups matter
The abstract reports reductions in the blood sugar marker among people using either oral medicines or insulin. Those summaries do not establish that fasting works better with one medication type or justify changing diabetes treatment.
The original publication
Effects of intermittent fasting on HbA1c and weight in insulin versus oral hypoglycemic therapy-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Al Qudah J, Beni ND, Ibrahim N et al.
Front Nutr · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41693941
- Record checked
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