What effect does Intermittent Fasting have on lipid levels?

Time-restricted feeding (12+ hours per day) and alternate-day (500 calories every other day) fastinginterventions lasting six to eight weeks in human trials have been associated with lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels in adults. In intermittent fasting trials incorporating several hundred subjects, Dr. Krista Varady has consistently observed 20-30% decreases in triglyceride levels over the course of three months of regular fasting. She has also observed modest declines in LDL cholesterol levels, primarily among people with elevated levels starting out, increases in total LDL particle size, and modest increases in HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. HDL levels can also increase with exercise and niacin supplementation.