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Does Intermittent Fasting Destroy Muscle? Myth vs. Fact

Worried intermittent fasting will destroy your muscle? The science says otherwise. Here's what 50+ studies show about fasting and muscle preservation.

FastingInPractice Editors

The fear is widespread: if you stop eating for 16 hours, your body will cannibalise your hard-earned muscle to fuel itself. It's an understandable worry β€” and it's also largely a myth when we're talking about intermittent fasting protocols of 16 to 24 hours. Here's what the research actually shows. No, intermittent fasting does not destroy muscle β€” in the timeframes used by most people doing 16:8, 18:6, or even 24-hour fasts. Your body has a logical priority order for…

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