Why doesn't skipping BrkFast on IF result in lower energy/focus? Explain with science

[ForeverPulling]

I suffer from poor energy levels throughout the day, but after a Blood Test that showed nothing I've realized I just need more sleep than most (7.5 or 8 solid hours isn't enough for me, I need 9).

I used to IF, for about a year, I didn't look at the science, it just felt natural for me. I stopped IF'ing for 2 weeks to eat breakfast first thing (porridge/eggs), it didn't help energy.

I want to start IF'ing again but my parents are against. All I can say back is: I'm in an overall caloric surplus, meal timing doesn't matter, and that maintaining stable blood sugar levels is better for energy than spiking them.

Can somebody please explain to me why IF and skipping breakfast doesn't make you lose focus/energy? (Anecdotally I know it doesn't, having done it for 12 months; however, I'd like to see/read some science)

[ForeverPulling]

*DISCLAIMER*. Before people say that a 16 year-old should just enjoy food and not IF, I don't see how age makes a difference. I have a maintenance of around 3700 calories but an extremely high appetite recently, I like IF as a method of appetite control as once I stop eating I struggle to stop. I know i'm 175lb, but just 18 months ago I was 125lbs and my body doesn't want to stop.

[WMLifting]

I suffer from poor energy levels throughout the day, but after a Blood Test that showed nothing I've realized I just need more sleep than most (7.5 or 8 solid hours isn't enough for me, I need 9).

I used to IF, for about a year, I didn't look at the science, it just felt natural for me. I stopped IF'ing for 2 weeks to eat breakfast first thing (porridge/eggs), it didn't help energy.

I want to start IF'ing again but my parents are against. All I can say back is: I'm in an overall caloric surplus, meal timing doesn't matter, and that maintaining stable blood sugar levels is better for energy than spiking them.

Can somebody please explain to me why IF and skipping breakfast doesn't make you lose focus/energy? (Anecdotally I know it doesn't, having done it for 12 months; however, I'd like to see/read some science)

Meal timing matters for personal preference and performance.
Fasting for periods of times regulates blood glucose so you don't feel hungry as much.
Explain to your parents you don't like eating in the morning and still obtain adequate food intake throughout the day.

*DISCLAIMER*. Before people say that a 16 year-old should just enjoy food and not IF, I don't see how age makes a difference. I have a maintenance of around 3700 calories but an extremely high appetite recently, I like IF as a method of appetite control as once I stop eating I struggle to stop. I know i'm 175lb, but just 18 months ago I was 125lbs and my body doesn't want to stop.

I am bulking too. I was 100 pounds last year and now am 130 pounds. I intermittent fast because I don't feel hungry until lunch and I don't lk,e eating before bed.
Sufficient micro and macro nutrients is what generally matters by the end of the day.
Age doesn't have anything to do with meal frequency. Sufficient nutrients does.
Keep eating how you would and prefer

[cumminslifter]

it can increase focus and energy due to increased norepinephrine and dopamine release

[WMLifting]

it can increase focus and energy due to increased norepinephrine and dopamine release

I'll let it up to you more intelligent folk to explain the science stuff

[invain]

There's this magical thing called liver glycogen which can be utilized to keep blood sugar levels stable. You also store tens of thousands of calories worth of fat, which can be utilized for fuel when insulin levels are low.

[TidePrideRTR]

I am not too familiar with IF. But from my understand, you basically fast for 16 hours and have a window of 8 hours to feast?
So...
During this "feast" you consume all your macronutrients needs. So basically your body will intake what nutrients it needs and store the rest as glycogen(stored in skeletal muscle and the liver) and once glycogen storage is full it be stored as triglycerides and adipose tissue. Your body will then breakdown all the stored energy - glycogen and triglycerides/adipose tissue for fuel via glycogenolysis (breaking down glycogen into glucose via glucagon, a pancreatic hormone) and lipolysis (breaking down trygiycerides into glycerol, which enters the kreb cycle as pyruvic acid. And also into fatty acids, via beta oxidation and enters the kreb cycle as acetly CoA).

With this said, the reason you had or felt you had more energy is because you ate some much food in such a small window your stored energy (glycogen and triglycerides) was full and your body was able to maintain homeostatic blood glucose levels via glycogenolysis and lipolysis.

P.S. There is a lot more to it than this because you're probably taking in more protein than your body can intake. If you want to know more look up deanimation and transanimation of amino acids. As well as gluconeogenisis and the kreb cycle.

[shaneee]

I am not too familiar with IF. But from my understand, you basically fast for 16 hours and have a window of 8 hours to feast?
So...
During this "feast" you consume all your macronutrients needs. So basically your body will intake what nutrients it needs and store the rest as glycogen(stored in skeletal muscle and the liver) and once glycogen storage is full it be stored as triglycerides and adipose tissue. Your body will then breakdown all the stored energy - glycogen and triglycerides/adipose tissue for fuel via glycogenolysis (breaking down glycogen into glucose via glucagon, a pancreatic hormone) and lipolysis (breaking down trygiycerides into glycerol, which enters the kreb cycle as pyruvic acid. And also into fatty acids, via beta oxidation and enters the kreb cycle as acetly CoA).

With this said, the reason you had or felt you had more energy is because you ate some much food in such a small window your stored energy (glycogen and triglycerides) was full and your body was able to maintain homeostatic blood glucose levels via glycogenolysis and lipolysis.

P.S. There is a lot more to it than this because you're probably taking in more protein than your body can intake. If you want to know more look up deanimation and transanimation of amino acids. As well as gluconeogenisis and the kreb cycle.

Deamination*
Transamination*

[rayr2010]

fasting is only relevent to your prior calorie intake. just because you skip a meal doesnt mean your body doesnt have an energy source. you could still be and are likely still digesting dinner...however, if you are in a true fast state, you will suffer energy/focus. perhaps your not training hard enough to notice the difference. and as others have said, you have other internal energy sources, but they are not easily utilized and thus the "energy drop" when switching from active enery source (food) to metabolizing stored energy.

[asmcriminal]

it can increase focus and energy due to increased norepinephrine and dopamine release

This is more along the lines. When you don't eat gherlin increases, this is the hunger hormone. Hormones work on a negative feed back loop. This means, that when specific hormones are low, other hormones go up. So when you're hungry gherlin goes up, this results in adrenaline increasing, GH, and IGF-1.
When we had to hunt for food, imagine if you got hungry, and then got tired.., and couldn't focus. You'd more than likely end up starving to death.

Another reason why is because you're not sitting there digesting food. Digesting food takes energy, and it also increases insulin levels. When we eat, it triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This means it just causes your body to slow down and relax. It's the OPPOSITE of the fasted state. When you fast you trigger the sympathetic nervous system(SNS). A good example is thanksgiving, most people just stuff their face, and what happens? Everyone just gets tired(No it's not due to tryptophan in turkey), this is due to the increase of insulin. Another good example is a carb crash. Eat a lot of carbs, you get tired after a little bit. Not everyone has these type of effects, most people do though.

So you can view it like this, not eating is like taking an upper, eating is like taking a downer. Same general principals.