IF makes you smarter?

[Neal Winkler]

Found this link from the Male Pattern Fitness blog.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/ma...=1&oref=slogin

[Mike ODonnell]

High carbs give me brain fog and I usually space out more....fat and protein seem to give me a clearer focus.

[kevin mckay]

I would say that my concentration at work (Unix system engineer) has improved
since doing IF. I have attributed it to more stable blood sugar level due to enhanced insulin sensitivity does this sound plausible?

[Scott Kustes]

I've noticed greater mental clarity during a fast too. I think there's a good explanation. When you're hungry, you need to be sharp to find dinner...or at least you did at one time. After you've eaten, it is of less consequence. Therefore, hunger turns on the brain to better assess situations and bring home the bacon.

Note: I didn't read the whole article.

[Joyce Behrendt]

Here is a quote from Dr. Eades about IF.

BDNF, as its name implies, is a substance that increases the growth of new nerve cells in the brain, but it does much more than that. BDNF is neuroprotective against stress and toxic insults to the brain and is somehow--no one yet knows how, exactly--involved in the insulin sensitivity/glucose regulating mechanism. Infusing BDNF into animals increases their insulin sensitivity and makes them lose weight. Humans with greater levels of BDNF have lower levels of depression. BDNF given to depressed humans reduces their depression. And Increased levels of BDNF improves cognitive ability. In short, you want as much BDNF as you can get., and with IF you can get a lot.

More on BDNF here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BDNF

Here is Dr. Mikes full article with Robb's comments in there somewhere. As you can see, it generated lots of comments.
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/?p=278


I felt smarter too and even feel a pinging sensation in my brain. I guess I'm generating loads of new nerve cells in my brain!

[Jeremy Jones]

I think there is a limit though. . .

Coming off a 26 hr fast yesterday made me pretty loopy. . . but I didn't feel that hungry.

I do feel pretty sharp mid fast usually.