Systematic Review Protocol Explores Intermittent Fasting as a Tool Against Chronic Pain
A registered protocol outlines a rigorous meta-analysis of RCTs testing whether intermittent fasting reduces chronic pain and improves function.
Summary
Chronic pain affects more than 1.5 billion people globally, and standard treatments often fall short. Researchers have registered a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate whether intermittent fasting — which is known to modulate inflammation and neurotransmitters — can meaningfully reduce pain and improve function in adults with chronic pain conditions. The review will analyze randomized controlled trials identified across multiple major databases, using rigorous methods including Cochrane Risk of Bias-2 and GRADE guidelines. Primary outcomes are self-reported pain and physical function; secondary outcomes include rescue medication use. This protocol signals growing scientific interest in dietary strategies as legitimate adjuncts to pain management, with implications for reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals and for broader longevity-oriented lifestyle interventions.
Detailed Summary
Chronic pain is one of the most pervasive and costly public health challenges worldwide, affecting an estimated 1.5 billion people. Despite available treatments — pharmaceuticals, surgery, and physical therapy — many patients continue to suffer. Growing scientific interest in lifestyle-based interventions has turned attention to dietary approaches, particularly intermittent fasting, which has demonstrated effects on inflammation pathways and neurotransmitter systems that are directly relevant to pain biology.
Researchers from the Helfgott Research Institute, Arizona State University, and several other North American institutions have published a formal protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining intermittent fasting interventions in adults with any chronic pain condition. The review is registered with PROSPERO, signaling methodological transparency and pre-specification of analytical decisions.
The literature search will span PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and preprint servers. Eligible studies must be RCTs in adult humans. Primary outcomes are self-reported pain intensity and physical function; secondary outcomes include rescue medication use — a clinically meaningful marker of treatment adequacy. The meta-analysis will use random-effects modeling with heterogeneity assessed via I² statistics, and subgroup and sensitivity analyses are planned.
This work carries meaningful implications for longevity medicine. Chronic pain accelerates biological aging, impairs mobility, disrupts sleep, drives systemic inflammation, and is associated with accelerated cognitive decline. If intermittent fasting proves effective, it could offer a low-cost, scalable intervention for a condition that currently relies heavily on opioids and other medications with serious long-term risks.
As a protocol paper, no results are yet available. The quality of the forthcoming review will depend on the volume and rigor of existing RCT evidence, which may be limited. Still, the registration of this protocol is a meaningful step toward evidence-based dietary guidance for chronic pain management.
Key Findings
- This is a registered protocol — no results yet — for a systematic review of RCTs on intermittent fasting and chronic pain.
- Primary outcomes are self-reported pain intensity and physical function across any chronic pain condition.
- Rescue medication use will be analyzed as a secondary outcome, adjusting for its effect on pain measures.
- Cochrane Risk of Bias-2 and GRADE frameworks will be used to rigorously evaluate evidence quality.
- Intermittent fasting's known effects on inflammation and neurotransmitters provide the biological rationale.
Methodology
This is a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol following PRISMA guidelines, registered with PROSPERO. Eligible studies are RCTs in adult humans with any chronic pain condition; screening and data extraction will be conducted independently in duplicate. Random-effects meta-analysis with I² heterogeneity assessment and planned subgroup analyses are pre-specified.
Study Limitations
This is a protocol paper only; no data or results are available yet, so clinical conclusions cannot be drawn at this stage. The summary is based on the abstract only, as the full text was not accessible. The eventual review's conclusions will be constrained by the volume and quality of existing RCT evidence on intermittent fasting for chronic pain, which may be sparse.
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