Frequently Asked Questions about the Fast and Mimicking Diet (FMD)

  1. What is FMD?

FMD, the Fasting Mimicking Diet, is a 5-day fasting program that mimics a water fast by limiting calories while still providing necessary nutrients. It is a specially-formulated plant-based diet developed by researchers at USC (brand name: Prolon) that has been shown to be linked to better health, including weight loss and improved metabolic markers like fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels1,2,3. 

  1. Why may fasting be beneficial?

Studies have shown that periodic fasting may be beneficial in monitoring and regulating blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation (refs including more studies). These effects might also contribute towards better brain health, improving gut health, and reducing the risk of age related diseases.   

  1. Why are you asking me to fast using the Prolon® 5-day FMD kit?

We are using the Prolon® 5-day FMD kit because it’s designed to safely guide participants through a fasting-mimicking diet, provides structure and it helps us gather valuable data on the effects of fasting, our primary purpose. The contents of the kit provide essential nutrients to fine-tune cellular function and eliminate the need to do a water-only starvation fast, which can have negative side effects.

  1. How is the 5-day FMD different from intermittent fasting?

The 5-day FMD is meant to mimic the effects of a continuous 5-day water fast and limits food and beverage consumption for 5 consecutive days with a defined amount of calories and nutrients. On the other hand, intermittent fasting is a different type of fasting that regulates the time in which someone eats each day without limiting the amount or contents of what someone eats. 

  1. Why are you going to measure my glucose levels?

We measure glucose levels because they are a measure of metabolic health and one of the diagnostic criteria for prediabetes and diabetes. Measuring glucose levels before and after the FMD kit allows us to analyze its potential effects in regards to prediabetes in Asian Americans. 

  1. Why are you going to measure my ketone levels?

Ketone levels tell us the extent at which your body is burning fat for fuel as opposed to carbohydrates. We will check ketone levels as indicators of compliance to the 5-day FMD program.

  1. What can I expect to see if I do the 5-day FMD program?

For the purposes of this study, we will examine changes in body weight, waist circumference, blood glucose level, blood pressure, and other measurements before and after the 5-day FMD program. According to numerous previous studies, completion of the 5 day FMD diet is associated with lower levels of fasting blood glucose, improved glycaemic control, and a correlation to lowered health risk for aging cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Some studies have also shown an increase in skin hydration and a study in mice showed diabetes regression as a result of using the FMD protocol. 

  1. Do I have to do all 5 days of the FMD? 

Completing all 5 days of the FMD kit is strongly preferred so that we can record changes in body measurements and blood glucose levels  after completing the entire FMD kit. Some aspects of cellular and tissue rejuvenation take multiple days to successfully operate and overhaul bad cells. However, if it is unfeasible to complete the entire FMD kit, your feedback and data are still useful and important in assessing the feasibility of using the FMD kit among Asian Americans with prediabetes. 

  1. How is Prolon® involved in this study? Will the company that makes Prolon® have access to my data if I participate?

The company that makes Prolon®, L-Nutra, is supplying our research team with FMD kits, but they will not receive any identifiable data including names, dates of birth, or private information. They will only be provided with a summary of results across all participants in the study. 

  1. What are the side effects of doing the 5-day FMD?

Side effects of FMD are typically mild, but may include tiredness, headache, dizziness, difficulty with concentration, and low blood sugar levels during the fasting period. But those side effects can be reduced by spacing out the FMD kit contents during the day, consuming all of the kit contents, and making sure you stay well hydrated.

  1. Can I participate if I’m diabetic? 

Unfortunately, since this study is meant to understand the feasibility and preliminary effects of FMD amongAsians with prediabetes, having a diagnosis of diabetes (type 1 or type 2) is an exclusion factor. 

  1. Can I participate if I’m taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or similar drug?

No, people taking Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs are not eligible to participate in the study. 

  1. Can I participate if I’m taking metformin for my pre diabetes?

Yes! You are welcome to participate in the FMD if you are taking metformin. Please complete this prescreening survey if you are interested.

If you are interested in learning more about the fasting mimicking diet, feel free to explore the following published studies:

  1. Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease
  2. Six-Month Periodic Fasting in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetic Nephropathy: A Proof-of-Concept Study
  3. Integration of a fasting-mimicking diet programme in primary care for type 2 diabetes reduces the need for medication and improves glycaemic control: a 12-month randomised controlled trial
  4. The Effects of a Fasting Mimicking Diet on Skin Hydration, Skin Texture, and Skin Assessment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
  5. Fasting-Mimicking-Diet does not reduce skeletal muscle function in healthy young adults: a randomized control trial
  6. Fasting-Mimicking Diet Promotes Ngn3-Driven β-Cell Regeneration to Reverse Diabetes