Effects of Fasting & Time Restricted Eating on Fat Loss & Health | Huberman Lab Essentials
Video Overview & Insights
In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explore intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating, highlighting the positive benefits for weight loss, metabolism, organ health, circadian rhythms and cellular repair.
Thank you for watching! If you enjoyed this topic and episode, please click the “Like” button and subscribe to our channel on YouTube. Thank you for your interest in science! — Andrew
I explain a practical framework for designing a time-restricted eating window that aligns with your lifestyle, exercise schedule and social schedule. I also cover what breaks a fast, how to support fasting with tools like salt intake and post-meal walks, and the use of fasting-related supplements, including berberine and metformin.
Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/CcvKrMh
Just finished a 40 day fast
Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/9tRohh0gErM
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I fasted for weight loss some years ago and it was the worst decision ever. Not because it didnt work, so hear me out. Fasting helped me lose about 50 lbs of fat very quickly, now that maybe seem great, however there are long term drawbacks. It taught me the only way to lose weight was to deprive myself. I gained weight exponentially faster after getting to my goal weight. It taught me nothing about longevity. The truth is, Fasting is a tool sure. But moderating and controlling greed in life is much more impactful for the long run.
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I need to be done with my last meal by 7 pm at the latest and ideally 6 pm. Ive been struggling with too much energy to sleep and indigestion because I havent been on my best schedule.
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Совсем не знаю английского но слушаю с переводчиком ИИ и фоном вслушивались во всю информацию а когда села смотрю в экран и не могу наглядеться вэти глаза и вообще не услышала ни чего пока смотрела на этого красавца пришлось перематывать чтоб переслушать смысл сказанного и отойти от экрана чтоб не отвлекаться 😁☺️
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*Timestamps*
I love what you do Andrew. Thank you for the great content mate💪🏻
00:00:00 Intermittent Fasting, Time-Restricted Eating (TRE)
00:00:50 Diet, Weight Loss, Calories & Hormones
REQUEST FOR THE LAB TEAM
It would be great if you could add a sequel of this topic (even in some months) to deepen an analysis of the effects on the Cortisol Resistance and Cortisol Response to the 16:8.
Most of he researches that are in the last 4-5 months quoted are underlying the long term negative effects of the 16:8 on this metabolic aspect: could you analyze these researches to tell us how reliable they are and consequently if there are updates about pros and cons of random 20-22h fasting over consistent 16:8 approach?
Thank you very much for the job you are doing!
00:05:52 Body’s Response to Eating vs Fasting, Fasting Duration
00:09:04 Time-Restricted Feeding & Metabolic Benefits, Circadian Gene Rhythm
It's strange how some push back so hard on mere intermittent fasting, which is pretty much the most accessible for the majority, among the majority of health conditions at that.
00:14:32 Optimal Meal Timing, Tool: Extend Sleep-Related Fasts
00:19:42 Eating Window Length, Tools: Adjusting TRE for Building Muscle, Regularity
Dr Sara Solomon has been teaching about intermittent fasting for over a decade. This is nothing new.
00:22:34 Accelerate Transition to Fasting, Glucose Clearing, Tool: After-Meal Walk
00:24:16 Metformin, Berberine, Continuous Glucose Monitors; Cell Growth vs Repair, mTOR
Yess my biggest meal is lunch! 11yr faster here maintaining over 50lbs gone forever at 60yrs old!
00:27:25 Gut Microbiome; Transitioning to Intermittent Fasting & Individualization
00:29:43 Tool: 8-Hour Feeding Window & Weight Loss
Hello. I greatly appreciate these videos!
I’m on a keto diet. Lower fat than normal as I want my body to burn as much stored fat as possible.
A couple questions.
What about a fasting window from 12am-5pm?
With bourbon or vodka before 12am.
Through out the morning, I drink about 3 cups of coffee with monkfruit sweetener and half&half. 1 right away and 2 or more while working at the office.
I drink 1 serving of BCAA’s and 5g creatine in 36oz of water.
Then I go exercise moderately hard. 5-10 min cardio. Lifting weights 20-30 minutes. 10 minutes Sauna.
Then I drink more BCAA’s with water.
Will my food window of 5pm to midnight interrupt my fast?
Will that stop my GLP-1?
I’ve lost about 46lbs and gaining muscle.
But I don’t know enough to optimize my intermittent fasting and hypertrophy.
00:31:05 What Breaks a Fast?, Sugar; Tool: Using Salt to Support Fasting
00:34:08 Tool: Ideal Feeding Window Guidelines; Exercise & Social Considerations
Thank you for covering this topic!!!!
Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer
Im fasting right now as im reading through the comments, i wanna say fasting helps alot with my mood swings and laziness, even if im hungry, i feel better in every other way
More User Perspectives
I eat then i fast 3 days then i eat and so on.
@MadMax-gc2vjBreak-fast. 🤔 we have been so led astray from our nature, it's despicable.
@Flux_HarmonyStill unclear, are you suggesting we do this 7 days a week? Nothing was discussed as to how often to do this. I has always been my understanding that 3 to 4 days a week is ideal? Thank you for all you do. appreciate the information.
@johng241Jesus, 30 min in and nothing about fasting. I gave up
@ocasio3024Thankssss dr Huberman 🙌🏽🔥
@yamiladum6192Pillar 1 - don't eat for 1 hour after waking up
Pillar 2 - don't eat or drink in the 2-3 hours before sleep
What is the ideal feeding schedule? Flip that, when is it best to fast?
- Extend the sleep related fast into the morning OR start the fasting cycle a few hours before going to sleep
One option is 10:00 to 18:00 feeding window
My beautiful wife is on day 3 fasting coffee/butter..electrolytes &adding sardine’s for the 1st time…lost 4 pounds…
@miketaylor7305Well explained.
It was so nice to listen to a human speaker and not a contrived AI video.
🔥 This video is absolutely captivating! The storytelling is smooth and keeps viewers engaged from the very first second 👀. The message is delivered clearly and feels both meaningful and practical, making it easy to connect with 💡. The editing style and visuals are modern, dynamic, and very professional 🚀. Overall, it’s an inspiring piece of content that truly adds value and leaves a strong impression!
@HOALIVEBETTERAFTER50Would You be able to build muscle with this eating window?
@RepublicanXvX🤦♂️ 2000 cal donuts not same as 2000 cal of steak, not about calories, it is about nutrition, all “Animal based diet” till full “One Meal a Day”
@c.daubz.5386Can you make an episode about Dysautonomia? It would be great to see it
@camilarey2489So if I start a 16:8 fast but want to do a 40 hour fast on Sunday does that affect my benefits of my regular fast?
@mellisalopez4903THANK YOU FOR ALL THE VALUABLE INSIGHTS - APPRECIATING YOUR WORK.
@human_arch.itecturethe circadian rhythm piece around eating windows is what finally made 16:8 click for me. i started my window later (noon-8pm) and the shift in morning clarity was noticeable within the first week. i use AllyFast to track the window, it keeps the stop/start honest especially on days where im tempted to cheat early
@wonseoklee80Nice! 👍
@MdBoshir-f8sHe defs look like he doesn't fast
@lilylamble9749I'm doing it so I have less strict deficits and less inflammation throughout the week.
@TherealburritowithhotsauceMe Bonta sent Sean. If that who they play with still. See you all. Not sad about it either.
@MaryBrady-n9h38 minutes to tell you to skip breakfast is craxy.
@JustnTrueMauiI've been doing intermittent fasting for 4 years (usually 16/8 or up to 18/6 some days), I've felt good this whole time and just recently read about the risk of gallstones, is this actually real? I do eat a balanced diet for the most part, drink enough water, etc , but it got me a little worried, does the danger only exists when eating too much high cholesterol foods?
@ar156Does taking pills (medications) break the fasting?
@jgojizExactly. Kcal only strictly applies in a system with no variation, a system in a vacuum. Humans are full of individual variation.
@Hg71996Feb of 2026 I watched Ken Berry interview Sean Omara as Sean explained his 4 day weekly fast routine, THUS I fast from MOnday night to Saturday morning and it finally pushed me out of a 3 year stahl. My abs have definition and my seirratus are popping out...I am in my 6th cycle as I watch this. MY bmi is about 22% down from 33%. OMAD is now history and my weekends are protein meals with healthy fats. I am Carnivore but it should be known that I was a sugar addict since my teens and just hit 67. Feedback welcome. Male, living in Canada. I always pop in to see what you can share.
@forestlittke4649This video was 100% in point. Just enough of information without being overwhelmed or excess talking. I'm super stoked to starting my intermittent journey. I can do it. I will do it ❤
@shaynaonthego364Autophagy is pronounced:
aw-TAH-fuh-jee
What about. Coffee with some milk. Is that breaking the fasting time?
@giannirommeSo interesting! Thank you very much for this video
@jgojizI don’t know about intermittent fasting but it’s always been intuitive to go through cycles of fasting and feasting. There are weeks I am craving all the sweet berries, honey, sweet potatoes, etc. then there are weeks where I have a project or house repairs or deep cleaning etc where I really don’t want to be bothered with food so I just work through meal times like nbd. It balances out.
@ashleypurdy5105Did he misspronounce autophagy or is everyone else wrong?
@Gospelhandler23311:56 "are watching this without subscribing to my channel"
@JohnDoe-es3gmPlease learn how to correctly pronounce autophagy; will give you more credibility.
@joycemariano1982You explain this so well. i have done 3- & 5-day water fasting.
@paulafarve4245CICO is bogus. Not al calories are created equally.
@19shane94