A new study cites the health risks of intermittent fasting. Could it lift Ozempic sales?

By Charles Passy

The study showed that who practiced time-restricted eating had a greater chance of dying from heart disease

A new medical study is raising concerns over whether intermittent fasting, a weight-loss method that's gained attention in recent years, could pose heart-health risks.

And in turn, that's raising the question of whether people who are looking to shed some pounds might instead opt for some of the increasingly popular fat-fighting drugs, such as Novo Nordisk's (NVO) (DK:NOVO.B) Ozempic and Wegovy or Eli Lilly & Co.'s (LLY) Mounjaro, as an alternative.

The study, presented at an American Heart Association meeting earlier this week in Chicago, looked at a form of intermittent fasting referred to as time-restricted eating, which involves consuming food within a period of four to 12 hours and abstaining for the remaining time.

The study examined the eating patterns of more than 20,000 American adults over a period of several years and found that adhering to a time-restricted eating plan "was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality" - in effect, death from heart disease. That's in spite of earlier research indicating time-restricted eating could improve some health markers, such as blood sugar, and indeed result in weight loss.

Cardiologists who spoke with MarketWatch had mixed reactions to the study.

Dr. Sean Heffron, a New York cardiologist affiliated with NYU Langone Health in the city, faulted the study on a few counts - including the fact that it depended on the participants recalling what they ate, rather than utilizing a more precise protocol for charting their food intake.

Heffron said it's important to recognize that there are many methods to consider for weight loss, and he doesn't make a "recommendation across the board" to his patients as to which is best. But he said he wouldn't rule out intermittent fasting as a worthy possibility and isn't concerned about the mortality risk raised by the study.

"Patients need to consume fewer calories. If they do that effectively with intermittent fasting, then go for it," he said.

But Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a New York cardiologist and medical director of the private practice Atria NY, said she can't ignore the study's findings, especially when discussing weight-loss options with patients.

"It would give me pause," she said, though adding that additional research is likely needed into the danger posed by time-restricted eating.

But doctors say it's perhaps inevitable that a study like this will have some people looking more seriously at weight-loss medications as a preferred option. As Goldberg noted, there's already an uptick in the use of the drugs as is.

Goldman Sachs recently predicted the annual market for these drugs could grow to $100 billion by 2030. Oprah Winfrey has gone public with the fact that she's taken one of the drugs and even promoted the medications as an invaluable tool in a network-television special that aired earlier this week.

David Seigerman, managing director of BioPharma Equity Research, said the Oprah special might actually move the needle more, in terms of demand for the weight-loss drugs, than the study raising concerns about time-restricted eating. But he said there's no question that the success of the medications in helping people shed pounds has altered the environment for a range of weight-loss products, methods and treatments.

Seigerman pointed to the fact that WeightWatchers (WW) acquired Sequence, a prescriber of the drugs, as a way to stay competitive in a changing landscape. The company is "trying to figure out how they'll fit in," he said.

Still, some medical experts say it's important to remember that the drugs are not right for every person. That's especially because their costs can run into the hundreds of dollars per month for those without insurance providing coverage for the medications.

Dr. Neha Pathak, a physician who is part of the WebMD website's medical team, also noted that the drugs can come with side effects that "are not tolerated long term in many patients." She said it's important to see the medications "as just another tool in our toolbox."

-Charles Passy

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03-23-24 1244ET

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