A recent study published in Cell Reports Medicine reveals that combining a healthy low-carbohydrate diet (HLCD) with a 10-hour time-restricted eating (TRE) window can significantly improve weight loss and gut health in adults with obesity. The research highlights the potential of these dietary strategies to enhance metabolic health beyond traditional caloric restriction.
Conducted between March 2022 and April 2023, the study involved a randomized controlled feeding trial with 96 participants aged 20 to 60, all with a body mass index (BMI) of 24 kg/m² or higher. Participants were divided into four groups: one following an HLCD, another adhering to TRE, a third group combining both HLCD and TRE, and a control group maintaining their usual diet.
The intervention lasted 12 weeks, followed by a 28-week follow-up period. During the intervention, participants in the HLCD group consumed a diet comprising 50% fats, 20% proteins, and 30% carbohydrates, while those in the TRE group followed a traditional Chinese diet within a 10-hour eating window. The control group continued with their regular eating patterns.
The study found that while many benefits reverted to baseline by the 28-week follow-up, the HLCD group uniquely maintained a lower body fat percentage, indicating its potential for long-term body composition improvements.
Participants in the TRE group experienced an increase in beneficial gut bacteria, including Parabacteroides distasonis and Bacteroides intestinalis, which are known to produce short-chain fatty acids essential for gut health. The average weight loss at the 12-week mark was 2.57 kg for the control group, 3.78 kg for the TRE group, 3.7 kg for the HLCD group, and 4.11 kg for the combined TRE and HLCD group.
The HLCD group showed greater reductions in BMI and fat mass compared to those not following the HLCD. Conversely, the TRE group reported more significant reductions in hip circumference and soft lean mass. Improvements were also observed across all intervention groups in blood pressure, liver and kidney function, and total cholesterol levels after the 12-week period.
Fecal metagenomic sequencing revealed no significant differences in gut microbial diversity at baseline, but notable changes in beta diversity were evident by the end of the intervention. The Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio significantly decreased in the HLCD group after 12 weeks.
The researchers conducted targeted metabolomics, analyzing 217 metabolites in stool samples. By the end of the intervention, distinct metabolite profiles emerged between the HLCD and non-HLCD groups. The HLCD group showed decreased fecal levels of branched-chain amino acids, indoles, and carbohydrates, while the TRE group exhibited reduced levels of carbohydrates and fatty acids but higher levels of indole acetic acid and deoxycholic acid.
At the 28-week follow-up, while most clinical parameters returned to baseline, the HLCD group maintained a reduced body fat percentage, and some beneficial changes in gut microbiota and fecal metabolites persisted.
Conclusions
The study suggests that both TRE and HLCD offer additional benefits for reducing BMI beyond caloric restriction, with HLCD leading to more significant fat mass loss and TRE supporting lean mass retention. These findings indicate that integrating nutrient quality into low-carb diets and establishing structured eating windows may provide sustainable metabolic benefits for individuals struggling with obesity.
The results underscore the importance of dietary patterns that prioritize nutrient density and timing, paving the way for future research into effective weight management strategies.
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