Pathological and Biochemical Implications of Fasting on Lipid Profile Alterations in Healthy Individuals

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of fasting on the lipid profile of healthy individuals.

Study Design: Cohort study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the conducted at The Department of Pathology Medical College, Bannu KPK from 1st February, 2023 to 10th January, 2024.

Methods: A cohort of 100 healthy volunteers, aged 18-40 years, were enrolled in this observational study. Participants underwent fasting for a period of 12 hours, after which blood samples were collected to measure lipid parameters, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Baseline lipid profiles were also obtained for comparison.

Results: A total of 100 healthy participants (50 males and 50 females) successfully completed the fasting protocol. The mean age was approximately 31.4 ± 6.7 years, and the average BMI was initially measured at 24.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2.The mean TC level significantly decreased from 193.6 ± 27.4 mg/dL to 179.3 ± 26.9 mg/dL (p < 0.001).TG levels were notably reduced, dropping from 148.2 ± 32.5 mg/dL to 132.1 ± 29.7 mg/dL (p < 0.01).LDL-C levels moderately decreased from 117.5 ± 23.1 mg/dL to 110.2 ± 22.8 mg/dL (p = 0.03). HDL-C levels slightly but significantly increased, rising from 47.9 ± 8.8 mg/dL to 52.4 ± 8.3 mg/dL (p = 0.04).The LDL/HDL ratio noticeably improved, decreasing from 2.54 to 2.15 (p < 0.01), which strongly suggests a reduced risk of atherogenesis.

Conclusion: In conclusion, fasting was found to significantly improve lipid profiles and modestly reduce weight and BMI in healthy individuals. These results clearly highlight fasting’s potential as a non-pharmacologically driven strategy for lipid regulation and cardiovascular risk reduction. Future studies should be carefully designed to explore long-term outcomes and thoroughly investigate underlying physiological mechanisms.