The Study
Effect of 2 Weeks of Time‐Restricted Eating on Innate Immunity and Systemic Inflammation in Patients With a History of Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized‐Controlled Crossover Study
This study showed that eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks changed some blood markers in people who had heart attacks before. It’s like noticing your car’s dashboard lights change after you change your driving habits — but it doesn’t prove the car won’t break down next month.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks helps people who had a heart attack.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 584 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These changes suggest the body is less inflamed and at lower risk for another heart attack, but it’s not proven yet that this prevents actual heart events.
- 2Neutrophils dropped 18%, CD11b (a danger signal on immune cells) dropped 22%, inflammation marker GlycA dropped 15%, and bad cholesterol particles decreased while good cholesterol became larger and healthier.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
Year
2026
Authors
J. Los, Wieteke Broeders, H. Bahrar, Özlem Bulut, S. Bekkering, Andrea den Boeft, N. Sumpter, A. Cetinyurek-Yavuz, Ilse H Hol, M. Netea, J. H. Cornel, S. El Messaoudi, N. Riksen
Related Content
Claims (7)
In adults who previously had a heart attack, eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks is associated with a 18% decrease in neutrophil counts and a lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, both of which are indicators of systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk.
In people who have had a heart attack, eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks lowers GlycA levels by about 15%. GlycA is a blood marker that reflects ongoing inflammation linked to heart disease risk.
In people who have had a heart attack, eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks lowers neutrophil CD11b expression by about 22%, a molecular marker associated with instability in atherosclerotic plaques.
In people who have had a heart attack, eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks lowers LDL particle levels and changes HDL particles to larger, cholesterol-rich forms linked to better lipid processing and less artery plaque risk.
In people who have had a heart attack, eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks is linked to reduced activity of genes in immune cells that control inflammation and cell killing.
Among people who have had a heart attack, eating only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for two weeks is linked to lower levels of systemic inflammation, measured by a composite score of CRP, white blood cells, platelets, and granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.