Major clinical evidence of calorie restriction and intermittent fasting on skin health: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Combined skin diseases represent the fourth leading cause of non-fatal disability worldwide. In 2013, it was estimated that skin diseases represented almost 2.0% of the total global burden of disease. Different fasting models have been studied in an attempt to understand the effect of fasting on skin structure and function. Objective: It was to present the main scientific evidence of the effects of calorie restrictions and intermittent fasting on skin health. Methods: The PRISMA Platform systematic review rules were followed. The search was carried out from July to September 2023 in the Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: A total of 119 articles were found, and 26 articles were evaluated in full, and 23 were included and developed in the present systematic review study. Considering the Cochrane tool for risk of bias, the overall assessment resulted in 22 studies with a high risk of bias and 26 studies that did not meet GRADE and AMSTAR-2. Most studies showed homogeneity in their results, with X2=64.7%>50%. It was concluded that although calorie restriction is the most effective intervention to prolong the life of organisms and prevent age-related diseases, its effects on aging and skin diseases can be significant. Dietary lifestyles can affect epithelial lineages such as the skin and intestine. The impact of Ramadan fasting on skin health can be compared with the effect of other types of fasting, including periodic dieting, calorie restriction, dietary restriction, dietary manipulation, and intermittent, short-term, and prolonged fasting. However, despite the scarcity of studies on the topic, no serious health risks have been reported and, therefore, patients who wish to fast should be warned about the importance of continuing their treatment and the administration of transdermal/topical medications.