Ten-Hour Time-Restricted Eating Reduces Weight, Blood Pressure, and Atherogenic Lipids in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

In animal models, time-restricted feeding (TRF) can prevent and reverse aspects of metabolic diseases. Time-restricted eating (TRE) in human pilot studies reduces the risks of metabolic diseases in otherwise healthy individuals. However, patients with diagnosed metabolic syndrome often undergo pharmacotherapy, and it has never been tested whether TRE can act synergistically with pharmacotherapy in animal models or humans. In a single-arm, paired-sample trial, 19 participants with metabolic syndrome and a baseline mean daily eating window of ≥14 h, the majority of whom were on a statin and/or antihypertensive therapy, underwent 10 h of TRE (all dietary intake within a consistent self-selected 10 h window) for 12 weeks. We found this TRE intervention improves cardiometabolic health for patients with metabolic syndrome receiving standard medical care including high rates of statin and anti-hypertensive use. TRE is a potentially powerful lifestyle intervention that can be added to standard medical practice to treat metabolic syndrome. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] •10 h time-restricted eating (TRE) in metabolic syndrome (MetS) promotes weight loss•TRE in MetS reduces waist circumference, percent body fat, and visceral fat•TRE in MetS lowers blood pressure, atherogenic lipids, and glycated hemoglobin•Benefits of TRE are “add-ons” to statin and anti-hypertensive medications Wilkinson and Manoogian et al. studied the impact of time-restricted eating in metabolic syndrome by reducing participant’s daily eating window from ≥14 h to a self-selected 10 h window for 12 weeks. Time-restricted eating led to weight loss, healthier body composition, lower blood pressure, and decreased levels of cardiovascular disease-promoting lipids.