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Along with providing information on the whether the Prolon Fasting Mimicking Diet approach might be right for you, this article also links to Fullscript where you can buy Prolon Fasting Mimicking Kits supplements online through the secure healthcare formulary and get free shipping and 20% off the retail price of professional-grade supplements.
Why Is Fasting So Good For Your Body?
Fasting kickstarts a biological clean-up duty called autophagy, where our cells get rid of their damaged parts and recycle them. Autophagy is what the ProLon fasting-micking meal kits seek to trigger. When we fast, our bodies enter a ‘nutritional stress’ mode. To keep us going, our bodies tap into stored reserves of fat and sugar. But it’s not just about burning stored energy; our cells start cleaning house by breaking down damaged components—a process called autophagy, or ‘self-eating.’
Imagine a mini cleanup crew inside each cell. This crew collects the damaged parts and sends them to a tiny recycling center within the cell. Here, enzymes break these parts down into basic building blocks, like amino acids, which the cell can reuse to create vital molecules. This recycling process helps the cell survive during fasting.
The push for autophagy comes from a drop in insulin levels and the activity of certain cell pathways, like the mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) pathway. This decrease in insulin and mTOR activity signals the cell that food is scarce, sparking autophagy into action.
When Fasting Ends, It Wakes Up Stem Cells!
The real transformation begins when you break your fast. As your cells welcome a fresh supply of nutrients, they kickstart a healing process. Your body, post-fast, wakes up sleepy stem cells, leading to the renewal of your immune system.
Think of fasting as a spring cleaning for your cells. Your body conserves energy by repurposing unneeded or damaged immune cells. But once the fast ends, stem cells awaken and spring into action, creating new immune cells that bolster your immune system.
But that’s not all. The end of fasting signals a feast for your cells, causing a surge in growth factors like insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These growth factors prod stem cells to rejuvenate different tissues and organs. This rejuvenating process is often called “metabolic switching,” or igniting the “regenerative switch.”
Research has shown that this cycle of fasting and feasting can wake up stem cells in your gut, which then refurbish your intestinal lining. Similar regeneration has been noticed in the liver and blood as well.
In a nutshell, fasting can help reset your body, paving the way for autophagy (cell recycling) and stem cell activation. But remember, while intermittent fasting can be beneficial, long-term fasting requires medical oversight due to potential risks and side effects.
Get the Advantages of Fasting While Still Eating Food
Sounds pretty confusing, doesn’t it? Here’s how it works. You’re eating 1100 calories on the first day/a little over 700 on days 2 through 5. Meanwhile, your body gently enters ketosis and your genes wake up the evolutionary fasting programs designed to clear out cells with damaged DNA and inefficient or poorly functioning parts.
Dr. Valter Longo’s research team developed the program. They have been teasing out molecular pathways related to aging for decades. Calorie restriction and fasting have been at the core of aging research for a long time. When researching fasting, Dr. Longo’s team found that there were specific levels of nutrients that could be provided while still triggering the benefits of fasting.
They created a 5-day food kit that carefully maximizes food quality, and provides maximum nutrient density to maintain digestive health, while it provides plenty of fiber to trap toxins liberated from fat tissues. The convenience and quality of the kit can’t be matched and the science is striking.
What Are the Benefits of the Fasting Mimicking Diet
The Fasting Mimicking Diet is a low-calorie, low-protein, high-fat diet that’s designed to mimic the effects of fasting, without the need to fully abstain from eating. Research has suggested several potential benefits of following this particular diet:
- Cellular Regeneration and Longevity: By periodically following the Fasting Mimicking Diet, your body enters a protective mode of autophagy, which can lead to cell regeneration once normal eating resumes. This is thought to promote longevity and overall health.
- Improved Metabolic Health: The Fasting Mimicking Diet may improve various metabolic markers, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. [PMC6816332]
- Weight Loss and Fat Reduction: Since the Fasting Mimicking Diet is low in calories, it can promote weight loss, especially from fat stores. Some research also suggests that Fasting Mimicking Diet may help reduce visceral fat, the harmful fat type around your organs.
- Enhanced Cognitive Health: Some preliminary studies suggest that the Fasting Mimicking Diet might promote neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells) and improve cognitive function, potentially helping to prevent neurodegenerative disorders. This diet made the mice smarter!! [PMC4509734]
- Cancer and Disease Prevention: Early research, mostly in animal models, shows that Fasting Mimicking Diet might aid in cancer prevention and add to the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Cancer cells are more dependent on carbohydrate than healthy cells, so taking away their fuel is hard on them–and that’s a great thing! [PMID: 36646607][PMC10037739]
- Reduction in Inflammation: The Fasting Mimicking Diet can help reduce inflammation, a key factor in many chronic diseases, and improve immune system regulation.
- Alzheimer’s: Researcher found that FMD cycles delay cognitive decline in AD models in part by reducing neuroinflammation and/or superoxide production in the brain. [PMC9648488][PMC10413426] Researchers propose that FMD may improve the [PMC10377404]
Order The Prolon Fasting Mimicking Diet Kit
As a dietitian, the first impulse on looking at any nutrition product is to study the nutritional values and come up with alternatives that are easily available at the grocery store. After reading the Prolon nutrient details, the decades of nutrient research that went into establishing specific nutrient levels in these products, and considering the first-rate culinary quality of the foods offered and the convenience of the product, it was clear that Prolon could not be duplicated.
The five-day progression provides a larger amount of food on Day 1 as it moves you gently into a fat-burning ketogenic state that suppresses your appetite and makes the rest of the fast move smoothly. The program provides low levels of protein and carbohydrate that are carefully designed to maximally nourish your body while still triggering the autophagy programs within your cells. It provides a multivitamin daily and plenty of fiber, which is needed to help you clear the toxins being released from your fat tissues.
Longevity researcher, Valter Longo and his team have put together a top-of-the-line product designed for health and longevity–not just weight loss.
When you purchase linked products presented on this page, Supplement Sciences, LLC receives affiliate fees so that our dietitians can continue to create great content.
Thank you for your support!
Order Prolon FMD Kits Through Fullscript
Gen3 Prolon Kit by ProLon
ProLon® is a 5-day dietary program carefully designed to nourish and rejuvenate your body while supporting metabolic balance.*
The ProLon FastingMimicking Diet® gives many of the benefits of a fast while letting you eat delicious food to help fight hunger and lose weight while protecting lean body mass. Get a trimmer waistline and many of the associated benefits.*
ProLon® meals come in 5 small boxes (one for each day) that include plant-based energy bars, soups, a variety of snacks, drinks, and supplements, and carefully designed to nourish your body, support cellular rejuvenation, and support metabolic and overall health for healthy aging.*
With ProLon, you get everything you need pre-packaged and ready to go. Each kit comes with five boxes which are labeled by day so you know what to eat each day.
-GEN3 Soup Flavors: Red Bell Pepper & Onion, Green Pea & Chives, Lentil Curry, Chickpea & Leeks, Carrot Ginger
-Soups: A variety of easy-to-prepare soups made with a proprietary mix of all-natural, plant-based ingredients
-Nut Bars: Cold-pressed, delicious nut bars with whole ingredients like almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans
-Snacks: Snacks like olives from the South of Spain where olive consumption is associated with longevity, and kale crackers enriched with plant-based protein.
-Supplements: Dietary supplement packed with multivitamins, amino-acids, minerals and omega-3 fatty acid to provide the body with nourishment
-L-Drink: Fruit-flavored, proprietary glycerol mix designed to fuel and protect muscles throughout the fast
-Herbal Teas: Caffeine-free herbal teas loaded with healthy antioxidants, and will keep you hydrated during your week.
Gen1 Prolon Kit by ProLon
Gen1 Prolon Kit, is a plant-based, 5-day meal program providing 1150 calories on Day 1 and approximately 800 on Days 2-5.
ProLon® exploits the ability of the body during periods of low calorie intake to enter a protected mode, remove damaged cells and tissues, and undergo self-repair.*
The ProLon® meal program consists of proprietary plant-based soups, bars, drinks, snacks, teas, and supplement formula tablets – all designed to maximize the protective effects related to fasting, while providing micronutrient nourishment (vitamins, minerals and essential dietary components), and minimizing hunger and the burdens of fasting.* The program covers a period of 5 continuous days.*
Order FMD Kits Directly Through The Prolon Site
Prolon 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet Kit
This kit contains 1 box of food for each day of the 5-day fast. Nutrients in each food kit are carefully calculated to keep nutrients at a level that will trigger the body’s cellular machinery to go into fasting mode as though you were eating nothing at all.
Foods are all vegan, gluten-free, and taste delicious.
The Research
The Fasting-Mimicking Diet in the Treatment of Cancer
A study entitled “Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Safe and Reshapes Metabolism and Antitumor Immunity in Patients with Cancer” explored the effects of a diet mimicking fasting on cancer treatment in mice and humans. The researchers found that when mice were put on a repeating cycle of this special diet, it boosted the effectiveness of cancer treatments. This was achieved by altering the cellular metabolism and enhancing the body’s immune defenses against tumors.
To see if this would work in humans, they conducted a clinical trial with 101 patients. This special diet was found to be safe and resulted in lower levels of blood sugar and growth factors. These changes are thought to help increase the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
The study also found that the diet changed how the body’s immune system responds to cancer. It reduced the number of immune cells that can suppress the body’s ability to fight cancer and increased the number of immune responses that can attack the tumor. This included an increase in specific immune signatures that are linked to better outcomes for cancer patients. [PMC9762338]
Fasting-Mimicking Diet and Its Impact on Aging
Dr. Longo’s team tested the fasting-mimicking diet with 100 generally healthy people for 5 consecutive days a month for 3 months. Compared to those who ate normally, those on the fasting-mimicking diet lost body weight and fat, had lower blood pressure, and lower levels of a protein linked to aging and diseases, Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). The diet was safe and no serious side effects were reported. The results showed that the fasting-mimicking diet can reduce the risk factors for aging and age-related diseases. [PMC6816332]
Fasting-Mimicking And Insulin Resistance
The same study looked at blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in those 100 people who used the fasting-mimicking diet for 5 days per month over three months. Researchers found that the people in the study who had higher blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol saw greater improvements in these health markers. The results showed that the diet decreased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which is closely linked to insulin resistance. Additionally, the diet also reduced fasting glucose levels, a key marker of blood sugar control. [PMC6816332]
Some People Should Be Careful With Fasting
Fasting offers health benefits but it’s not right for everyone. Certain groups may be at higher risk for harm from fasting:
- People with eating disorders: People who have struggled with conditions like anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or binge eating disorder might find fasting can trigger harmful behaviors and exacerbate their conditions.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women: These women need more nutrients to support the growth and development of their babies, so fasting may not be appropriate.
- Children and teenagers: Young people are still growing and developing, and they need regular intake of nutrients. Fasting can potentially interfere with their normal growth and development.
- People with Diabetes: The problem people with diabetes face when thinking about the fasting-mimicking approach is that certain diabetes medications will lower your blood sugar even if it is already low, especially insulin and sulfonylureas. Your physician needs to provide advice on adjusting your medications if you decide to use the fasting-mimicking approach.
- People with certain medical conditions: Those with diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, or other chronic conditions should always consult a doctor before starting a fasting regimen. Fasting can affect medication effectiveness.
- Individuals who are underweight or malnourished: These people may not have enough stored energy to safely fast, and doing so could lead to further health problems.
- Elderly individuals: Aging can be associated with nutritional deficiencies, so fasting may not be recommended.
Also, individuals taking certain medications, particularly those for blood pressure or blood sugar regulation, may be at risk when fasting. The effectiveness of these medicines can be affected by changes in food intake, potentially leading to harmful side effects or complications. As always, it’s important to use good common sense when changing your diet or supplements and consult your physician appropriately.
Balancing Prolon With Diabetes Medications
When you cut down your carbohydrate content to a fraction of your normal intake, you need to carefully consider the risk that your diabetes medicines will cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The greatest risk of hypoglycemia is with insulin or the sulfonylurea class of blood sugar-lowering medications. Other combinations of medicines like metformin, the “flozins” (SGLT-2’s), and others also pose a risk, so ask your physician for advice on how to adjust medications.
We’ve calculated the carbohydrate intake you will have each day so that you can share this information with your medical provider.
| Program Day | Net Carb (g) |
| Day 1 | 77 g |
| Day 2 | 59 g |
| Day 3 | 58 g |
| Day 4 | 59 g |
| Day 5 | 58 g |
To Sum It Up
The Fasting Mimicking Diet holds a lot of potential for promoting health and longevity. Crucially, the FMD helps cut down belly fat, a common issue tied to serious health conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. The Fasting Mimicking Diet also offers potential benefits for the brain, with emerging evidence suggesting it could enhance cognitive function and possibly even ward off neurological disorders. Importantly, this diet strategy can improve insulin resistance, helping regulate blood sugar levels whether you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk for it. By triggering the body’s natural repair processes, the fasting-mimicking approach presents a powerful tool for overall health and longevity.
This Article is Not a Substitute for Medical Advice
Dietary supplements are not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Supplement Sciences website seeks to provide comprehensive access to the most relevant supplement information along with convenient online ordering. We do not provide medical advice and cannot guarantee that every product suggested is completely without risk. Since each person is unique in their health history and medication use, it is important to discuss supplements with your personal physician. Specifically, pregnant women and individuals being treated for cancer or liver or kidney problems must consult their physician about every nutritional supplement they plan to take. People taking medications for the treatment of HIV or with a history of organ transplant must not take supplements without consulting with their physician.
