Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39803905›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of clinical investigation2025

Long-term fasting induces a remodelling of fatty acid composition in erythrocyte membranes.

Katharina Gewecke, Franziska Grundler, Massimiliano Ruscica, Clemens von Schacky, Robin Mesnage, Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of clinical investigation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Katharina GeweckeNÀDARRA GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.
Franziska GrundlerBuchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, Überlingen, Germany.
Massimiliano RuscicaDepartment of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0195-7061
Clemens von SchackyOmegametrix, Martinsried, Germany.
Robin MesnageBuchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, Überlingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1732-4741
Françoise Wilhelmi de ToledoBuchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, Überlingen, Germany.

Funding

Buchinger Wilhelmi Development & Holding GmbH
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionLong-term fasting (LF) activates an adaptative response to switch metabolic fuels from food glucose to lipids stored in adipose tissues. The increase in free fatty acid (FFA) oxidation during fasting triggers health benefits. We questioned if the changes in lipid metabolism during LF could affect lipids in cell membranes in humans. We thus analysed the FA composition in erythrocyte membranes (EM) during 12.6 ± 3.5 days of LF and 1 month after food reintroduction.

methodsA total of 98 subjects out of three single-arm interventional studies underwent a medical supervised long-term fasting (12.6 ± 3.5 days) programme. The distribution pattern of 26 FA as well as the HS-Omega-3 Index were assessed in the EM using gas chromatography.

resultsEighteen of 26 FA showed significant changes. Within the group of saturated FA, myristic (14:0) and stearic acid (18:0) decreased while palmitic (16:0) and arachid acid (20:0) increased. While most monounsaturated FA increased, trans fatty acids decreased or remained unchanged. Within the polyunsaturated FA, arachidonic (20:4n6) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n3) acid increased, while linoleic (18:2n6), alpha-linolenic (18:3n3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n3) decreased. Consequently, the HS-Omega-3 Index increased. 11 out of the 18 FA with significant changes returned to baseline levels 1 month afterwards. Levels of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid increased over baseline levels.

conclusionsLong-term fasting triggers changes in the FA composition of EM.

Indexed as

Erythrocyte MembraneFastingFatty AcidsAdultFatty Acids, NonesterifiedFatty Acids, Omega-3FemaleHumansLipid MetabolismMaleMiddle AgedFatty AcidsFatty Acids, NonesterifiedFatty Acids, Omega-3adipose tissueerythrocytefastingfatty acidslong‐term fastingOmega‐3 index

Identifiers

PMID39803905
PMCPMC12011679

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.