Intermittent fasting studies show possible benefits

In New intermittent fasting studies reignite debate about its benefits Sarah Berry reports that there's still a lot of uncertainty about intermittent fasting, but some studies are showing some benefits:

Several new studies support its supposed benefits. One study, by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC), found that intermittent fasting may help to reverse diabetes in mice by reprogramming "non-insulin-producing cells into insulin-producing cells".

A second study of 71 adults, also out of the USC, found that fasting for five days a month (consuming between 3138 and 4600 kilojoules on those days) reduced cardiovascular risk factors, inflammation levels, waistlines and total body fat, but not muscle mass.