The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Mattson compared the benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR) to that of physical exercise. He states the following: “Recent findings suggest that some of the beneficial effects of IF on both the cardiovascular system and the brain are mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling in the brain. Interestingly, cellular and molecular effects of IF and CR on the cardiovascular system and the brain are similar to those of regular physical exercise, suggesting shared mechanisms.”
