Duration-dependent effects of water-only fasting on blood lipids: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and threshold meta-regression.

Front Nutr · 2026 · PMC13079636 · PMID 41994097

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a positive trendno p-value reported

In this meta-analysis, the effect of water-only fasting on VLDL-C showed a positive trend in direction although it was not statistically significant (g = 0.203).

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an increasing trendno p-value reported

In time-dependent analyses, the VLDL-C response was found to be heterogeneous and statistically insignificant in short-term fasting (≤3 days), while an increasing trend was evident in the long-term fasting (>3 days) group, but this did not reach statistical significance.

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did not reach statistical significanceno p-value reported

showed a trendno p-value reported

Short-term fasting (≤3 days; k = 15) showed a trend toward reduced triglyceride levels (g = −0.335; 95% CI: −0.684 to 0.013), although this effect did not reach statistical significance.

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