Effects of the periodic fasting-mimicking diet on health, lifespan, and multiple diseases: a narrative review and clinical implications.

This article focuses on the periodic fasting-mimicking diet (PFMD), a dietary regimen involving cycles of low-calorie, plant-based intake designed to simulate fasting while meeting basic nutritional needs. Research in animal models and clinical trials indicates that PFMD can promote health benefits such as stem cell regeneration, reduced inflammation, improved metabolic markers, and extended lifespan, with potential applications in managing chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. PFMD has demonstrated comparable efficacy to other fasting methods but with better adherence and fewer risks of malnutrition, making it a promising alternative to prolonged water-only fasting or very-low-calorie diets. While PFMD shows safety and feasibility in various populations, further research is needed to clarify its mechanisms, long-term effects, and optimal protocols across diverse diseases and patient groups.