The ProLon diet kit has garnered attention as a "fasting-mimicking" nutrition program, promising the benefits of fasting without severe caloric restriction. This article delves into the details of the ProLon diet, examining its components, potential benefits, and drawbacks, while incorporating user experiences and expert opinions.
Introduction to the ProLon Diet
The ProLon diet is a 5-day prepackaged meal plan designed to mimic the effects of fasting while still providing the body with essential nutrients. It was developed by Dr. Valter Longo, founder of L-Nutra and director of the Longevity Institute at USC, to promote longevity, reduce cholesterol, lower the risk of age-related diseases, and boost metabolic health. The diet is structured around the concept of a "fasting mimicking diet" (FMD), which involves consuming a low-calorie diet that tricks the body into thinking it's fasting.
What is a Fasting Mimicking Diet?
A fasting mimicking diet (FMD) is a dietary regimen designed to trigger a response akin to fasting while still providing the body with essential nutrients. ProLon is a specific type of FMD that contains no animal protein, low amounts of plant protein, very low amounts of saturated fat, high amounts of unsaturated fats, very low amounts of sugars, and high amounts of complex carbohydrates.
How it Works
The FMD works by avoiding triggering nutrient-sensing pathways in the body, which tell the body it is in a fed state. By avoiding these pathways, the FMD can enhance autophagy, the body's natural "housecleaning" process.
Autophagy
Autophagy is the "housecleaning" of our body's cells. It’s like your body’s built-in cleaning crew, constantly working to remove waste and keep your cells healthy. Think of it as the garbage truck for your body, clearing out the byproducts of cellular activity that accumulate throughout the day.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
What’s Included in the 5-Day ProLon Program?
The ProLon program comes in one-day and five-day options. The five-day program includes five separate boxes, one for each day, filled with plant-based soups, bars, snacks, specific drinks, and supplements. The meals are designed to be low in calories, typically ranging from 700 to 1,000 calories per day.
Menu Highlights
Each day starts with a nut-forward bar, followed by soup for lunch. In the afternoon, you get kale and almond crackers or a pack of olives on three of the days. Dinner is another soup, and on days one and two, you get a small “dessert.” You’re also given a glycerin liquid to mix with water, which “provides the body with an alternate energy source to use instead of lean body mass during days 2-5 of the fast,” as well as several herbal tea bags. Unlimited water and tea, plus one cup of black coffee, are also allowed.
Taste and Variety of ProLon Meals
While the ProLon diet isn't about gourmet flavors, many users find the food surprisingly palatable. Some soups, crackers, and olives are well-received. The Green Pea and Chives and Lentil Curry soups are often mentioned as favorites, while the Carrot Ginger soup is less popular. The creamy consistency of the soups is also a plus, as they are not chalky like some powdered greens supplements.
ProLon Pros vs. Cons
Pros
- Convenience: The prepackaged meals simplify meal planning and eliminate the need for grocery shopping.
- Potential Health Benefits: The FMD may support healthy aging, increase metabolism, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, help with weight loss, and encourage cellular rejuvenation.
- Clinically Tested: ProLon's program has been clinically tested by the laboratory of Dr. Longo and Keck Hospital at the University of Southern California.
- Easy to Follow: The structured program takes the guesswork out of fasting.
- May improve the relationship with food: It seems to make a person reassess their relationship to food (and alcohol!). After ‘fasting’ for five days, you’ll probably think harder about everything you put in your mouth. Smaller portion sizes may suddenly seem much more reasonable, and you’re likely to be better at forgoing snacks and foods that were unhealthy habits.
Cons
- Cost: The 5-day ProLon fasting kit costs approximately $175, or $35 per day.
- Dietary Restrictions: The specific foods required may be challenging for people with food allergies or strong food preferences.
- Side Effects: You may experience dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and difficulty concentrating while following the ProLon diet.
- Not for Everyone: ProLon is not suitable for athletes, individuals with eating disorders, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those with certain health conditions.
- Taste: The food is not gourmet and may not appeal to everyone.
- Days 1 and 5 are the hardest: Although day 1 is one of the highest calorie days, it starts to dawn on you what you have signed up for. Your body isn’t yet in ketosis, and heading to bed without dinner feels abnormal, even a little depressing. Lasting the full five days on a severely calorie restricted diet becomes harder the longer into the week you go. I find that by day 5 I am exhausted with the protocol, and vey tired of the powdered soups in particular.
Exercising While on ProLon
While the brand suggests maintaining your normal lifestyle as much as possible, it's recommended to keep workouts low-impact. Activities like walking are suitable, but strenuous activities that significantly increase appetite or risk feeling faint should be avoided.
Potential Benefits of the ProLon Diet
Weight Loss
The ProLon diet can lead to weight loss, although most of it is likely water weight. However, following the recommended transition diet after the program can help maintain the weight loss.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Metabolic Health
ProLon may improve cardiovascular health, support metabolic health, and help maintain lean muscle mass.
Cellular Rejuvenation
Proponents of the diet suggest that the FMD may support longevity by stimulating autophagy (inner cellular rejuvenation).
Mental Clarity and Energy
Many users report improved energy levels, reduced bloating, and decreased food cravings after completing the cleanse.
ProLon vs. Other Fasting Methods
ProLon vs. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting involves designated periods of the day without eating, while the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) includes specific foods designed to prevent the activation of pathways that break the fasting state.
ProLon vs. Calorie Restriction
Both FMD and typical calorie restriction have achieved comparable weight loss and improvements in risk factors for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Scientific Evidence and Research
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.
Studies on Aging
A 2024 study in Nature showed that three rounds of the FMD lowered the biological age by 2 1/2 years compared to the actual age.
Studies on Cancer
One research study in mice found that a fasting-mimicking diet could reverse tumor growth.
Studies on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
The fasting-mimicking diet decreased gut inflammation and increased the number of stem cells and the number of “good” gut bacteria in people with inflammatory bowel disease.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
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.
Important Considerations Before Starting ProLon
It’s important to remember that the ProLon diet isn’t a long-term, daily dietary solution for health complications. It’s always recommended to consult your physician or healthcare provider before starting a new diet or lifestyle shift. The fasting-mimicking diet is contraindicated during pregnancy, breastfeeding, in children, and anyone with a history of an eating disorder. Other medical conditions may also prohibit its use.
How to Maximize Your ProLon Experience
- Plan Ahead: Have your post-cleanse meals ready to go for days 6 and 7 to ensure a smooth transition out of the program.
- Find a ProLon Buddy: Doing the program with a friend can provide encouragement and accountability.
- Avoid Strenuous Activities: Keep physical activity light during the five-day cleanse.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water during the ProLon fast.
- Avoid food influencers: If you follow a lot of food influencers or enjoy reading restaurant reviews, I recommend taking a break from this during the program. I learned this the hard way.
- Mitigate uric acid: I try to mitigate some of the increase in uric acid levels during ProLon by taking quercetin, which is a supplement that can help make urin more alkaline, which in turn, helps the body get rid of more uric acid.
Alternatives to ProLon
If you’re interested in a mimicking fasting diet but don’t want to try ProLon, your best bet is to work with a qualified nutritionist. That’s because trying to design your own is liable to lead to dangerously low blood pressure, blood glucose, palpitations, and other possibly fatal complications.