Objectives :The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of modified fasting therapy using fermented herbal medicine on the changes of body compositions.
Methods :This study was carried out on 11 patients who carried out modified fasting therapy using fermented herbal medicine. They went through reducing food intakes period(7 days), fasting period(10~14 days) and refeeding period(10~14 days). Body compositions(weight, BMI(body mass index), skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, percent body fat, basal metabolic rate, waist-hip ratio, visceral fat area) were measured at each state. And then the data was analyzed.
Results :1. The weight and BMI decreased during the reducing food intakes period and the fasting period, and increased during the refeeding period. But the weight and BMI decreased during the fasting therapy period, as a whole.
2. The skeletal muscle mass decreased during the fasting period and increased during the refeeding period. As the final outcome, for the whole fasting therapy period, decrease of skeletal muscle mass didn't show significance. The body fat mass and percent body fat decreased during the reducing food intakes period, the fasting period and the refeeding period.
3. The basal metabolic rate decreased during the fasting period and increased during the refeeding period. As the final outcome, for the whole fasting therapy period, decrease of basal metabolic rate didn't show significance.
4. The waist-hip ratio decreased during the fasting period and the refeeding period. The visceral fat area decreased during the fasting period and refeeding period.
Conclusions :Results from this investigation showed that modified fasting therapy using fermented herbal medicine have positive effects on changes of body compositions. This results are expected to compensate the defects of existing fasting therapy.