The ProLon fasting mimicking diet is the newest form of fasting. Research states the fasting mimicking diet may decrease your biological age by 2.5 years, help autoimmune conditions and depression, improve your gut microbiome, and fight cancer. But what exactly is it?
There are several ways to “fast,” some forms of fasting exclude food for certain hours in a day, while others eliminate food completely. The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) provides a new option. It is an approach to fasting that effectively tricks your body into thinking it is fasting while allowing food intake. By doing this, you reap the benefits of fasting while minimizing the challenging parts, such as hunger, fatigue, and headaches.
Does it sound too good to be true? Solid science is behind the claims, and more studies are in progress. Let’s at what the research says so far.
*Dr. Burkhart does not work for ProLon. This is an independently written article.
What Is A Fasting Mimicking Diet?
A fasting-mimicking diet is a low-calorie, not a no-calorie, eating plan.
The fasting-mimicking diet is a scientifically formulated 5-day program designed to mimic a 5-day water fast while providing nutrients and calories. The diet ( it is real food) aims to provide the benefits of fasting while minimizing negative side effects associated with fasting, such as fatigue and headaches. The ProLon meal kit is currently the only fasting-mimicking diet program on the market*.
This may sound impossible, but the diet is based on years of scientific research receiving millions of dollars in NIH funding and is currently the subject of over 50 ongoing clinical trials.
But how do you eat and fast at the same time? Read on for an explanation.
How Does It Work?
How can you eat and fast at the same time?
Dr. Valter Longo is the scientist behind, and creator of, the fasting mimicking diet. He is involved in much of the research on fasting-mimicking diet and has over 20 years of research and publications on fasting and longevity.
Dr. Longo and his team at The University of Southern California have been working with pathways in the body called “nutrient-sensing pathways.” The FMD works by avoiding triggering these pathways, which tell the body it is in a fed state. Don’t trigger them, and the body thinks it is fasting.
The nutrient-sensing pathways control autophagy, the “housecleaning” of our body’s cells. Autophagy is constantly happening in the body.
Autophagy is like your body’s built-in cleaning crew, constantly working to remove waste and keep your cells healthy. Think of it as the garbage truck for your body, clearing out the byproducts of cellular activity that accumulate throughout the day. This process helps maintain the smooth functioning of your cells and supports overall health.
Dr. Longo and his team developed the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), a scientifically designed program that enhances autophagy, effectively boosting your body’s natural “housecleaning” process. By promoting autophagy, the diet helps eliminate damaged or harmful cells that contribute to disease and aging.
When your cells are better at cleaning up, your body feels healthier, and your risk of future health issues decreases. Increased autophagy supports overall well-being and plays a key role in reducing the effects of aging and disease.
The nutrient-sensing pathways are also involved in which genes get turned on, which can affect what health conditions you develop or do not develop.
Amy Burkhart MD RD
What do you eat on a fasting-mimicking diet?
The ProLon meal kit is plant-based and includes all foods needed on the 5-day plan.
The 5-day plan consists of meals and snacks, exclusively eating only foods from the provided kit. On the first day, the intake is approximately 1,100 calories, featuring plant-based protein, healthy fats, and low-carbohydrate sources. The mail-order FMD kit, accessible without a prescription, is delivered to your door and includes vegetable soups, bars, crackers, olives, and herbal teas.
Designed to be repeated once a month for at least three months, the plan aims to enhance autophagy/house cleaning through its impact on nutrient-sensing pathways. Days two through five of the diet feature similar foods to day one but in smaller portions, with a daily target of around 725 calories. These calories are carefully chosen and formulated to maximize the desired autophagic effects. It’s important to note that a “do-it-yourself” version of this diet is not the same. Simply cutting calories on your own won’t achieve the same results. This is why extensive research has been conducted on this specific diet kit and plan.
Amy Burkhart MD RD
How long is the fasting-mimicking diet?
It is a five-day program.
The Prolon research group recommends the 5-day plan for their fasting-mimicking diet once a month for three months. Most of the research on the FMD is based on this 3-month protocol.
Prolon recommends repeating the diet every 1-6 months to maintain benefits.
The objective is to have autophagy (clean out old and damaged cells) while preserving muscle mass.
They now offer a one-day reset kit that can be used a maximum of two times a week for maintenance, not while on the 5-day program.
How much does the ProLon Kit cost?
Is There A DIY Fasting Mimicking Diet Plan?
Is There A ” Do It Yourself” Fasting Mimicking Diet?
The Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) requires purchasing a kit, which raises a common question: How can you follow the diet if it’s not in your budget?
While many “DIY versions” are available online, there is no scientific evidence that these alternatives produce the same results as the official FMD. The FMD is backed by over twenty years of research and carefully designed with specific vitamins and nutrients to keep your body in a metabolic fasting state.
Although it might be possible to approximate some aspects of the diet, fully replicating its effects would be very challenging. If you try a DIY version, you might see some health improvements due to eating a lower-calorie, whole-food diet, which is excellent. But at this point, equilibrating it to a calculated and scientifically formulated program isn’t scientifically sound.
To experience the proven benefits of the FMD, using the official kit is necessary. Hopefully, studies will be done on standardized DIY versions in the future.
Fasting Mimicking Diet Vs. Intermittent Fasting
It is different than intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting and FMD are not the same.
Intermittent fasting involves designated periods of the day without eating. Among the various protocols, the 16:8 method is the most popular. In this approach, individuals fast for 16 consecutive hours, consuming only calorie-free beverages like water or plain tea, followed by an 8-hour eating window. During this time, they focus on healthy food choices without the need to count calories. The 16 and 8-hour windows are flexible, but maintaining a continuous 16-hour fasting period is essential.
Other intermittent fasting methods include the 5:2 approach, where individuals fast completely for two days each week, consuming only water or calorie-free beverages like tea during those fasting days.
The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), on the other hand, works differently. It includes specific foods designed to prevent the activation of pathways that break the fasting state. Unlike traditional fasting, the FMD does not rely on strict timing or fasting windows, offering a unique alternative.
Unlike traditional fasting, FMD does not adhere to specific timing or fasting windows.
For more information, See a list of intermittent fasting protocols here.
Amy Burkhart MD RD
Research On The Fasting Mimicking Diet
Click these links to see the completed research and ongoing research. Currently, many projects are in progress looking at the effects of FMD on conditions such as autoimmunity, longevity, cancer, fertility, inflammation, weight loss and more.
Below is a summary of research done for some common conditions.
Prolon FMD & Depression
A 2020 study showed that using a fasting-mimicking diet in conjunction with therapy for depression resulted in significantly better outcomes than therapy alone.
Fasting Mimicking Diet & Aging
A 2024 study in Nature showed incredible results on the FMD’s diet effect on aging. Three rounds of the FMD lowered the biological age by 2 1/2 years compared to the actual age. More studies are needed but it may get us one step closer to a fountain of youth.
Fasting Mimicking Diet & Weight Loss
A large randomized trial* compared FMD with typical calorie restriction. Both approaches achieved comparable weight loss and improvements in risk factors for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Both appeared equally beneficial for weight loss and disease risk reduction (1). *human study
Fasting-mimicking Diet & Multiple Sclerosis
All mice had improved symptoms, and 20 percent of mice with MS had complete resolution of symptoms. No meds, no side effects! The FMD reduced markers of inflammation and promoted a healthier gut microbiome. (2).
FMD & Parkinson’s Disease
In this animal study, the fasting-mimicking diet proved helpful for improving Parkinson’s disease symptoms and progression (3).
Alzheimer’s & FMD
The results of this animal study show that periodic protein restriction cycles protect against age-related changes ((3). A 2023 study on the FMD and Alzheimer’s showed improvement in cognitive function, biomarkers and well being in Alzheimer’s patients when using the FMD.
FMD & Diabetes
In this human study, FMD was found to help blood glucose control in type 2 diabetics (7)
Cancer & FMD
Can a fasting-mimicking diet help in the fight against cancer? That can’t be said yet, but early results are promising. One research study in mice found that a fasting-mimicking diet could reverse tumor growth. Yes, this is in mice, but wow! Couldn’t this be a fantastic addition to cancer therapy if it pans out in humans? A 2024 study on the FMD and CLL shows promising results for the most common leukemia in adults.
Other studies have looked into how fasting-mimicking diets might work on people with cancer, but they are still preliminary, and more research needs to be done before we can say for sure. See the bottom of this article for other studies on FMD and cancer.
Amy Burkhart MD RD
Key takeaways:
- The fasting-mimicking diet is a specific meal plan formulated to simulate the fasting state while providing nutrients and calories. It does this by finding a “sweet spot” in the body where the benefits of fasting still occur, and pathways that block the benefits of fasting are not activated.
- The fasting-mimicking diet is not the same as simply restricting daily calories.
- The FMD does appear to be equally effective as calorie restriction for weight loss. More studies are needed, of course.
- Several human trials are in progress using the fasting-mimicking diet for various health conditions.
- The diet has the potential to provide an alternative to more restrictive forms of fasting while reaping the benefits of fasting.
- The FMD aims for the benefits of fasting without common side effects of fasting, such as headaches, fatigue, and muscle loss.
- In my clinical experience with the FMD, I have seen patients have improvement in digestive and autoimmune conditions, energy levels, mood, inflammation, and sleep.
- If you are considering the fasting-mimicking diet, please consult a medical professional before you begin. Fasting is not appropriate for everyone. Learn here: who should not fast?
Podcast On Fasting Mimicking Diet
Listen here to a PODCAST on the fasting mimicking diet with Dr. Valter Longo.
Body Of Wonder Podcast Featuring Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes
This is a fantastic podcast covering research-based topics in the field of integrative medicine.
Research Fasting Mimicking Diets ( not all-inclusive)
- Fasting Mimicking Diet and CLL (human study)
- Fasting Mimicking Diet And Aging ( animal study)
- Fasting Mimicking bar extends ketosis (human study)
- Fasting Mimicking Diet And Weight Loss (human research)
- Fasting Mimicking Diet And Metabolism (human research)
- FMD decreases inflammatory response in autoimmune disease (animal study)
- FMD improves response to breast cancer chemotherapy (human study)
- Fasting Enhances the Response of Glioma to Chemo- and Radiotherapy (animal study)
- Fasting-Mimicking Diet Modulates Microbiota and Promotes Intestinal Regeneration to Reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathology (animal study)
- Neuroprotection of Fasting Mimicking Diet on MPTP-Induced Parkinson’s Disease Mice via Gut Microbiota and Metabolites (animal study)