The ProLon diet is a 5-day program designed to nourish the body while encouraging benefits associated with prolonged fasting, such as cellular rejuvenation.
Whether you’re hoping to optimize your health or wanting to lose some weight, it can be difficult to determine the best diet to follow. With so many options, you’re not alone if you’re wondering what the ProLon diet is and how it compares.
The ProLon diet is a 5-day prepackaged meal plan. ProLon claims that it offers your body the nutrients it needs while avoiding activating your food sensing pathways so that you can get the benefits of prolonged fasting.
Although the ProLon diet isn’t appropriate for everyone, it may improve your cardiovascular health, support your metabolic health, and help you lose weight while maintaining lean muscle mass.
This article takes a closer look at the ProLon diet, including its advantages and drawbacks.
Learn more about the health benefits of fasting.
Was this helpful?
How does the ProLon diet work?
See AlsoProLon For Weight Loss Fasting Diet: Frequently Asked QuestionsFasting Mimicking Diet: How It Works, Benefits, and More - Perfect Keto%l - Online Nutritionist | Jordan Nutrition - Jordan Nutrition is an online nutritionist and dietician covered by insurance based in Connecticut and New York offering dietary counseling for women's health. Nutrition Consultant | Nutritionist in CT | NutriKelly Clarkson makes weight loss confession
How does the ProLon diet work?
The ProLon diet is a prepackaged 5-day fast-mimicking diet. Your kit will arrive with vegetable-based soups, energy bars, snacks, herbal teas, and supplements along with directions on the appropriate times to eat them.
The ProLon diet is based on research led by Dr. Valter Longo at the University of Southern California. The foods included in the diet are designed to offer the nutrients necessary to support your body’s systems while being low enough in calories to avoid triggering the body’s cellular nutrition radars.
Who should and shouldn’t try the ProLon diet?
The ProLon diet is designed for healthy individuals wishing to optimize their well-being and individuals with overweight who are seeking to manage their weight.
The ProLon diet isn’t appropriate for those:
- with an eating disorder
- with an infection
- who don’t weigh enough or are malnourished
- younger than 18 years or older than 70 years
- who are pregnant or breastfeeding
People with diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, or a history of fainting should only try the ProLon diet under a doctor’s supervision.
Was this helpful?
For those who don’t want to spend time planning out their meals, the ProLon diet determines exactly what you should eat and saves you a trip to the grocery store.
In addition to simplifying meal planning, fasting can provide a variety of health benefits. For example, it can:
- support healthy aging
- increase your metabolism
- reduce inflammation
- lower your blood pressure
- help you lose weight while maintaining lean muscle
- encourage cellular rejuvenation
Additionally, ProLon is potentially eligible for purchase and reimbursem*nt with your flexible spending or health savings account.
Due to the specific foods required, it can be hard for people with food allergies or strong food preferences to follow the ProLon diet. The ProLon diet may also not be a good fit for those on a tight budget due to the kit’s high cost.
A 5-day ProLon fasting kit costs approximately $175, or $35 per day. The research supporting the benefits and associated weight loss of the ProLon diet was specific to individuals following the 5-day program once a month for 3 months, which totals $525.
Fasting isn’t appropriate for everyone, and you may experience dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and difficulty concentrating while following the ProLon diet.
Also, you shouldn’t do the ProLon diet if you’ll be undertaking strenuous activities or spending time in extreme temperature environments, including saunas and hot tubs.
It’s important to remember that the ProLon diet isn’t a long-term, daily dietary solution for health complications.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the ProLon diet.
How much weight do you lose on ProLon?
Most of the research into weight loss and the other benefits of fast-mimicking diets such as ProLon involve rodents or testing at the
A 2021 study found that weight loss might occur during the fast-mimicking period, but it was not sustainable for the long term. More high-quality, long-term human studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of the ProLon diet for weight loss.
How long should you be on the ProLon diet?
The ProLon meal plan lasts for 5 days with a day of transitional diet after. It’s important to discuss the best frequency for you with a licensed healthcare professional.
ProLon generally recommends doing it once a month for 3 months in a row the first time you do the diet. After that, depending on your health goals, you could do it once a month for up to 6 months or once every 3 months.
What are the side effects of the ProLon diet?
You may have fatigue, headaches, dizziness, or difficulty concentrating while doing the ProLon diet. Individuals with allergies to any of the ingredients included in the foods may experience hives, rashes, or difficulty breathing if they ingest these items.
Can you drink coffee on the ProLon diet?
Although ProLon recommends avoiding caffeine while following the diet, you can have 140 milligrams of caffeine each day. According to ProLon, this is equivalent to about one 8–12-ounce cup of traditionally brewed black coffee, two cups of black or green caffeinated tea, or six cups of traditionally brewed decaffeinated coffee.
The ProLon fast-mimicking diet is a 5-day prepackaged plan that features vegetable-based soups, energy bars, snacks, herbal teas, and supplements.
The ProLon diet is designed to offer sufficient nutrients to sustain your body while keeping calories low enough so you’ll receive the benefits of being in a fasting state.
It’s important to remember that fast-mimicking diets aren’t appropriate for everyone. In addition, most of the research into the benefits of the ProLon diet involve rodents or testing at the cellular level. More high-quality, long-term human studies are needed.
Talk with a healthcare professional if you have any questions about whether the ProLon diet is a good idea for you and your specific health situation.
