Time-Restricted Eating Adds No Lean Mass to Strength Training
Graded Moderate — an analysis of five trials with random assignment, but only 120 participants in total, so smaller differences could go undetected.
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Participants
- 120
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- The authors state they received no financial support.
People who lifted weights and ate within a set time window did not end up with more fat-free mass than those eating normally.
Eating only within a set window each day has become popular for shaping the body. For people who also lift weights, though, the eating window does not appear to add extra fat-free mass, which is mostly muscle. That is the result of an analysis that pooled five trials. By the end of the programs, fat-free mass was similar in both groups.
In all five trials, chance decided who ate within a time window and who ate normally. Together they included 120 healthy adults, all doing strength training. On paper, the eating-window group ended up with just under half a kilogram less fat-free mass on average. That figure was so uncertain, however, that no clear difference could be detected. For body weight and fat mass, only two of the five trials found a clear difference.
The researchers had expected the eating window to increase fat-free mass, and that idea was not confirmed. With only 120 participants, smaller differences could still go unnoticed. At the same time, this small analysis did not show a clear loss of fat-free mass from the eating window either.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.
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