882. Someone in your office comes back from vacation with a box of soups and shakes and announces they're doing a five-day fast. Except they're eating.

Fasting-mimicking diets are unusual among viral wellness protocols in that there is a real body of peer-reviewed research behind them. There is also a company selling the five-day kits, founded by the researcher who developed the protocol and funding many of the trials. Both of those things are true at the same time.

In this episode, Monica breaks down what the research actually shows:

• What the five-day protocol involves, including the calorie targets and why it's deliberately low in protein
• What "fasting mimicking" means, and which effects of a multi-day fast it's trying to reproduce
• The 2017 trial in 100 healthy adults, where participants lost about five and a half pounds over three months but saw no change in blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, or inflammation
• Why the subgroup findings are interesting and why they aren't proof
• The 12-month trial in people with type 2 diabetes, where 40% reduced their diabetes medication compared with 5% in usual care
• What the cancer research has shown in mice, what it hasn't yet shown in people, and why anyone in treatment needs their oncology team in the conversation first
• Why the claim that five days can make you two and a half years biologically younger is the weakest part of the evidence, and what happened to the third of participants whose scores got worse
• Whether you can replicate the protocol without buying a branded kit, and what you might be giving up if you do
• What the dropout rates in these studies say about how doable this really is

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself!

Follow Nutrition Diva on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more diet and nutrition tips.

Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at WellnessWorksHere.com

Nutrition Diva is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

Related Episodes

788: intermittent fasting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the latest guidance on how much protein we should eat, and what sources of protein are best, especially as we age? In response to a New York Times article released this week, we are bringing back this episode form 2023, with a fresh introduction from Monica.

New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself!

Follow Nutrition Diva on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more diet and nutrition tips.

Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at WellnessWorksHere.com

Nutrition Diva is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adaptogens, Botanicals, and Boosters: Which Products Actually Deliver? | Nutrition Diva LIVE in NYC!

In this special live episode, recorded at the Drinks with Benefits alcohol-free festival in New York City—brought to you in partnership with Liquid I.V.—host Monica Reinagel dives into the fascinating world of functional beverages to separate scientific fact from clever marketing.

Monica explains exactly what you should look for on a label, how much of an active ingredient you actually need to see results, and why a sprinkle of "mushroom dust" doesn't necessarily make a beverage functional.

This episode explores the real evidence behind today's trendiest drink categories, including:

• Adaptogens: How ingredients like ashwagandha affect stress resilience and why daily consistency matters.
• Nootropics: The truth about mushroom coffee blends, and the powerful, jitter-free cognitive focus created by combining L-theanine and caffeine.
• Sleep Aids: Why timing is everything for melatonin, and the current evidence for valerian root and magnesium.
• Immune Support: The effectiveness of high-dose vitamin C, elderberry, specific probiotic strains, and medicinal mushrooms like reishi and turkey tail.

Not all functional drinks are created equal, but Liquid I.V. is a perfect example of formulation done right. Their hydration multipliers are clinically proven to hydrate you more efficiently than plain water alone. As discussed in the show, their Sugar-Free Lime Energy Multiplier perfectly balances 100mg of caffeine with 200mg of L-theanine to give you sharp focus and mental clarity without the jitters.

💧 Listener Perk: Use code 2026ND for 20% off your first order at liquidiv.com

A big thank you to our event partners for making this night possible:

🎉 Drinks with Benefits, for hosting this incredible alcohol-free festival

🍋 Liquid I.V., for bringing the clinically proven hydration and providing amazing White Peach and Lime Margarita mocktails for our live audience

Presented by Liquid I.V. @liquidiv #paidpartner

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.