Studying fatty acids after meals may provide new insights into the metabolic impact of diet and fasting
Losing weight can be challenging, especially when it requires following a strict low-calorie diet over time. A study with mice suggests that intermittent fasting—taking regular breaks from eating—can improve metabolism, even when the diet is high in fat. In fact, the benefits observed are similar to those linked to healthy eating. This study, led by the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), was published in eBiomedicine.
Although the animals did not lose weight through intermittent fasting, researchers found improvements in blood glucose control, insulin response, and lipid profile—key indicators often affected by obesity. When intermittent fasting was combined with a healthy diet, the positive metabolic effects increased, and a significant reduction in body weight was observed.
The study not only focused on blood parameters but also examined how different dietary interventions affected fat tissue and the liver. “After four weeks of intermittent fasting, obese mice showed significant protection both metabolically and in these tissues, even with a high-fat diet,” explains Dr. Victòria Ceperuelo-Mallafré, Ramón y Cajal researcher at URV and member of the DIAMET research group (Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases) at IISPV – URV – CIBERDEM.
“However, switching to a balanced diet proved to be the most effective strategy for weight loss. In addition, combining intermittent fasting with a healthy diet had a synergistic effect that was especially beneficial for improving glucose tolerance,” adds Dr. Sonia Fernández-Veledo, head of the Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition Area at IISPV and leader of the DIAMET research group.
Another innovative part of the study was the analysis of gut microbiota and its key products, especially short-chain fatty acids. These molecules, found in blood and stool, may play an important role in regulating the body’s metabolic processes. The results showed that combining intermittent fasting with a healthy diet led to deeper changes in the composition of gut microbiota. Specifically, there was an increase in the species Alistipes finegoldii, which may be linked to better blood glucose regulation. This finding was confirmed both in the animal model and in a group of people with obesity who followed a low-calorie Mediterranean diet for six months. Although the results are promising, further studies are needed to confirm this connection.
Regarding short-chain fatty acids, researchers found that their post-meal regulation is altered in obesity. Both intermittent fasting and switching to a healthy diet help restore this mechanism. Therefore, measuring these compounds not only during fasting but also after eating may offer valuable information for a better understanding of metabolic function.
Although the findings are still preliminary and more human studies are needed, this research opens the door to designing personalized dietary strategies that focus on improving metabolic health, beyond simply losing weight.
Bibliographic reference
Ceperuelo-Mallafré, V., Rodríguez-Peña, M. M., Badia, J., Villanueva-Carmona, T., Cedó, L., Marsal-Beltran, A., … & Vendrell, J. (2025). Dietary switch and intermittent fasting ameliorate the disrupted postprandial short-chain fatty acid response in diet-induced obese mice. EBioMedicine, 117.
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