The Impact of Intermittent Fasting on Glycemic Control and Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
1 Abdullah Choudhry, 2Sarwat Ali Raja,3Muhammad Irfan Safi Rizvi, 4Dr Danish Marwat, 5Hub E Ali, 6Kiran Mashaal
Submission: 19 January 2026 | Acceptance: 05 February 2026 | Publication: 28 February 2026,
1Assistant Professor, MBBS FCPS Medicine, Amna Inayat Medical College Sheikhupura.
2University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore
4Assistant Professor, HMC, Peshawar
5Assistant professor, Mayo Hospital, Lahore
6Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Corresponding Author: Dr Akif Saeed Ch, Director Medical Services & Research Hope Family Clinic Faisalabad
ABSTRACT:
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common metabolic disorder that is accompanied by permanent hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Conventional modes of management include drug therapy and lifestyle changes. In the recent past, intermittent fasting (IF) has also become a buzzword to be used as a non-drug measure to improve the glycemic control and also to raise the insulin sensitivity.
Objective: The objective of this research work was to assess the effects of intermittent fasting on blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.
Methods: This was the observational research study done in Hope Family clinic, Faisalabad between May 2024 and April 2025. Ninety T2DM patients that did comply with the inclusion criteria were recruited. The RQs participated in an intermittent fasting diet (16:8 protocol) during a 12-week period. Noninterventional and postinterventional measures of fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, and Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were obtained. Paired t-tests were used as the statistical test to find statistical significance of glycemic parameters changes.
Results: The results of the study demonstrated that there was a considerable decrease in the FBG level that had a baseline value of 156.2 18.4 mg/dL up to 128.5 15.7 mg/dL after the intervention (p < 0.001). The changes were also significant in the HbA1c levels that were reduced to 7.3 % + 0.5 with a mean reduction of 8.1 % + 0.6 (p < 0.001). Moreover, the values of HOMA-IR decreased: from 4.8 +/- 0.9 to 3.5 +/- 0.7, which means that they improved insulin sensitivity (p < 0.001). During the study, no serious side effects on intermittent fasting elicited any responses.
Conclusion: Various studies in patients with type 2 diabetes showed that intermittent fasting was a feasible and effective intervention to increase insulin sensitivity and glycemic control. These findings indicate that IF could be a potentially applicable supplementary intervention in management of T2DM. Nevertheless, bigger and long-term studies are yet necessary to establish its safety and sustainability.
Keywords: Intermittent fasting, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Glycemic control, Insulin sensitivity, HbA1c, HOMA-IR.