Previous research has suggested intermittent fasting drives metabolic benefits independent of weight loss, including improvements in insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, liver fat, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. This 2018 trial assessed the metabolic benefits of a specific form of intermittent fasting: early time-restricted feeding, where all food intake was confined to a single six-hour window early in the day. Researchers found subjects who ate within that window improved insulin sensitivity and beta cell functionality as well as blood pressure and markers of oxidative stress.