What Is The ProLon Diet And Does It Really Work?

It seems like not a year goes by without another diet trend gaining popularity. From the potentially dangerous keto diet to more relaxed ways of eating like the Noom diet, people are always trying new ways to shed a few pounds or stay healthy.

In recent years, intermittent fasting has become a prominent fixture in the wellness community. Many people claim that the practice of fasting for 12 to 16 hours per day has helped them a lot with their weight loss journey, while others tout its inflammation-fighting, heart health-boosting benefits, per Healthline. It's a popular approach to dropping excess weight, but it's not easy for everyone to follow. So, what if you could mirror the effects of fasting while still eating throughout the day?

The ProLon Diet claims that it can do just that, helping your body lose fat while protecting lean body mass. According to Elo Health, the benefits of the ProLon Diet include weight loss, increased cognitive ability, lower blood pressure, and a boost in cellular regeneration.

The ProLon fasting mimicking diet was created by Dr. Valter Longo, Ph.D, the director of the Longevity Institute at University of Southern California in Los Angeles (via Health). The diet set comes with five boxes to be consumed over five days, which each box numbered by day.

Each box contains a combination of energy bars, teas, soups, snacks, and supplements. All products are plant-based, with all the ingredients being gluten-free and non-GMO. Each meal box on each day targets a different area, such as Fat Burning & Ketogenesis, Cellular Rejuvenation, and Renewal & Change, according to the company's FAQ. This diet is not a one-off process, either — it's meant to be repeated once a month for three consecutive months.

Unlike intermittent fasting, the time at which you consume the meals during the day has no impact on the benefits it provides for your body. The caloric intake is the most important part of the diet. On the first day, you start out with 1,100 calories; for the remainder of the 5-day period, the meals contain anywhere from 700 to 800 calories. According to Healthline, the restriction of calories and carbs causes your body to react as if you were actually fasting, reducing inflammation and dissolving fat, among other benefits.

According to Forbes, the ProLon diet could be suitable for people who are at risk of developing Type II diabetes with pre-diabetes, those who have excess weight around the midriff area, or those who want to follow a healthier way of eating moving forward. For people who are older and frail or who suffer from eating disorders, this diet probably isn't recommended. Although Healthline reports that the diet may promote weight loss while lowering blood sugar levels and inflammation in the body, the site still only scores the ProLon diet 2.88 out of 5.

While it acknowledges the potential benefits, Healthline believes that more research needs to be completed to see the true effectiveness of the diet. Additionally, the cost is quite steep. One box will set you back $187. To see results and maintain them, three boxes are needed in total for the three months you'll be doing the diet.

If you have the funds and you're in relatively good health, you can speak to your doctor to see if the ProLon Diet can be beneficial for you. For others, standard calorie-counting or even regular intermittent fasting may be more attractive options.