• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2016

Gamrosu was originally conceptualized from Jeho-tang, a selected thirst quencher of the kings in Chosun Dynasty and Saeng-Maek-san, a qi-vigorating summer beverage recommended by Dongeuibogam. It is a modified fasting therapy beverage which is manufactured from the single herbal medicines composed of those two prescriptions. This study was conducted on 6 obese patients with hypertension. A modified fasting therapy with Gamrosu was practised on them for 10 consecutive days. After the therapy, their average blood pressures were descended from 148/89 mmHg to 119/79 mmHg. The modified fasting therapy with Gamrosu is supposed to be more effective than general diet program or dietary sodium reduction on controlling hypertension. And, Gamrosu improves anti-hypertensive effect by reducing the side effects, such as fatigue, electrolyte imbalance, heartburn, nausea, and headache, during the modified fasting therapy.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.50-63
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyze methods and outcomes about fasting for obesity in korea medicine research. Methods: We searched the studies with key words of 'obesity' and 'fasting or starvation' in Korean database (Korean traditional knowledge portal, OASIS, KISS, KMBASE, DBPIA, RISS). Studies were analyzed for contents, evaluation methods and adverse effects. Results: Twenty-one studies were reviewed. Studies were published in 1983~2015. 1. Studies can be classified into three types: comparative study on before and after, comparative study between groups, case study on other disease occurred during the fasting therapy period. 2. The most common step of fasting were 3 steps: reducing food intakes period (3~5 days), fasting period (7~10 days) and refeeding period (3~5 days) and additional period-diet period (28 days). 3. The most common evaluation methods were body weight (BW), body fat mass (BFM), muscle weight (MW), fat free mass, body mass index, body fat percentage, etc. 4. BW, BFM, MW were reduced largely in fasting period. 5. The most common adverse effects were fatigue, nausea, headache, vomiting, insomnia, etc. Conclusions: As a result of the review papers, fasting therapy have positive effects for obesity. To verify the effectiveness of the fasting, more studies are needed such as randomized controlled trial.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.17-25
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• 2001

Objectives: Obesity is related to psychological problems as well as physical problems. This study was designed to investigate the eating attitude and depression of females who participated in a fasting therapy. They were considered to have many eating attitude and psychological problems. Methods: 59 females were selected, they were admitted in Woosuk university hospital of oriental medicine(from August 1st, 2000 to July 31th, 2001) and 42 females were selected, they were college students of Woosuk university, Jeonju, Korea. We checked height, weight and administerd the Korean Eating Attitudes Test-26(KEAT-26), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and questions about binge-eating, smoking, drinking, exercise and body weight-wanted to females in two groups. Results: In fasting women group, 2(3.39%) were underweight, 24(40.68%) were average. The average of KEAT-26 in fasting women group$(13.33{\pm}7.65)$ was higher than that in college women group$(4.76{\pm}5.54)$(p<0.001). In fasting women group, 5(8.47%) had mild eating problem, 4(6.78%) had moderate eating problem, and 5(8.47%) had severe eating problem. In fasting women group, 47(79.66%) said 'yes' at the question(A-1, DSM-IV bulimia nervosa diagnosis), 33(55.93%) said 'yes' at the question(A-2, DSM-IV bulimia nervosa diagnosis) about binge eating. In fasting women group, 14(23.73%) had used vomiting, 13(22.03%) enemas, 27(45.76%) laxatives, 7(11.86%) diuretics, 6(10.17%) other drugs, 38(64.41%) fasting, 15(25.42%) severe exercise, and others 2(3.39%) to reduce their weight. The average of BDI in fasting women group$(12.44{\pm}6.70)$ was higher than that in college women group$(7.47{\pm}5.48)$(p<0.001). In fasting women group, 10(16.95%) had mild depression problem, 4(6.78%) had moderate depression problem, and 3(5.08%) had severe depression problem. In fasting women group, 41(64.49%) had under 5Kg-gap, and 18(30.51%) has over 5Kg-gap between weight-reasonable and weight-wanted. In 26 fasting women who were underweight or average-weight, 14 had over 5Kg-gap. Conclusions: These results suggest that the females who participated in a fasting therapy had many depression and eating problems, and we should pay attention to the eating disorders and psychological problems including depression as well as the physical problems when we treat obesity.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2011

Objectives: The modified fasting therapy(MFT) of traditional korean medicine uses very low calorie diet on a patient with chronic disease and obesity. During the fasting period of MFT, calorie intake is restricted under 600kcal. Adverse events such as hunger, heartburn, headache, and hair loss can occur because of fasting. In case of Gilbert's syndrome, Jaundice can arise without disorder of liver function and hemolysis because of increase of unconjugated bilirubin. We experienced a case of Gilbert's syndrome patient who appeared jaundice during the fasting period, so we report about that with literature review.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.152-158
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of modified fasting therapy using Gamrosu and herbal medicine on the changes of body compositions in women. We analyzed the medical records of 11 patients, who carried out modified fasting therapy at Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University. Body compositions (body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, extracellular water ratio, abdominal circumference, thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, visceral fat area) were reviewed before and after modified fasting therapy. The body composition values (body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, extracellular water ratio, abdominal circumference, thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, visceral fat area) decreased after modified fasting therapy. Results from this investigation showed that modified fasting therapy using Gamrosu and herbal medicine has positive effects on changes of body compositions.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.4-11
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• 2023

Caloric restriction is a popular approach to treat obesity and its associated chronic illnesses but is difficult to maintain for a long time. Intermittent fasting is an alternative and easily applicable dietary intervention for caloric restriction. Moreover, intermittent fasting has beneficial effects equivalent to those of caloric restriction in terms of body weight control, improvements in glucose homeostasis and lipid profiles, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, the beneficial effects of intermittent fasting are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.36-49
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• 2016

Objectives: Two historical evidence supported the concept of Gamrosu. The first one was Jeho-tang, a selected thirst quencher in Chosun Dynasty and the second one was Saeng-Maek-san, Dongeuibogam's recommendation as one of the qi-vigorating summer beverages. Gamrosu is a modified fasting therapy beverage which is manufactured from those two prescriptions and the carbohydrates (420.6 kcal/d). A retrospective observational study was conducted to evaluate the clinical outcomes. Methods: Thirty-three cases were reviewed at three local Korean Medical clinics that each site's participant has finished the modified fasting for 10 consecutive days. Clinical outcomes were reviewed at pre- and post-fasting sessions by retrieving the changes of body composition, blood pressure, blood chemistries & urine tests, and subjective symptoms & fatigue scores. Results: Demographics of the observed participants were 17 of male and 16 of female. Post-Gamrosu session, -6.89% of body weight, -8.97% of body fat mass were reduced with the nutrition indices being improved (P<0.001). -8.72% of systolic blood pressure, -39.86% of serum triglyceride, -6.75% of fast blood sugar and -8.12% of waist circumference were improved (P<0.05). The levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (-58.34%), CRP (-43.55%) and eosinophil (-21.30%) showed the significant diminished profiles (P<0.05). Liver/kidney functions and the standard of electrolytes were maintained within normal range in stable manners. The fatigue scale scores indicated significant lower scores. Conclusions: Taken together, obesity-related clinical outcomes after a modified fasting therapy with Gamrosu were sufficiently feasible and the observed findings should be considered for further prospective clinical studies.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.6766-6778
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• 2015

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of the concurrent thermotherapy and intermittent fasting therapy for obesity. The experimental therapy conducted at the same time for 11 days, and had 35 adult participants. Six variables(girth, body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, abdominal fat, and body basal metabolic rate) of participants were measured initially before the experimental therapy, and respectively after two consecutive experimental therapies (S1 and S2). The differences between the averages of the six variables in the initial measurement (C group), S1 group, and S2 group are significant and correlate each other. The differences between variables also were significant within groups and between groups. Additionally, the results show that the effectiveness of the therapy was greater after the 2nd therapy than the 1st therapy. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the concurrent therapy is effective and useful as a natural healing therapy for obesity.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2013

Case of ischemic colitis after enema for bowel cleansing have been rarely reported, but there has been no case report of a patient on modiefied fasting therapy. A 26-year old male patient with obesity admitted Korean medical hospital of Kyung Hee university for losing weight. He is on a special diet called modiefied fasting therapy, only took the fermented herbal drink. At 2nd day, he received an enema for bowel cleansing. A few hours after enema, he had a bloody diarrhea with lower abdominal pain. His colonoscopic and histologic findings presented ischemic colitis. He was advised to fast for two days and couldn't complete his diet program. We suggest 4 possible reasons : Increased intraluminal pressure by enema, vascular spasm caused by room-temperature glycerin solution colder than intraluminal temperature, predisposition to bleeding disturbances by taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor(SSRI) for depression history and mucosal injury by osmotic effect of glycerin solution itself. For reducing the risk of bowel cleansing, glycerin enema should be carefully prescribed and practiced concerning the condition of each patient.

• Archives of Obesity and Metabolism
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2022

Dietary therapy is one of the most important treatments for obesity. In general, it is difficult to maintain the recommended diet for weight control for a long time; therefore, it is difficult to achieve weight loss or maintain weight. Intermittent fasting has recently become one of the most popular diets for weight loss. Intermittent fasting is a strategy of repeating intermittent energy restriction and eating, unlike conventional diets of continuous calorie restriction. Studies on intermittent fasting have shown positive results not only in terms of weight loss but also improvement in metabolic indicators, such as glucose control and reduction of blood pressure. Therefore, it is important to maintain a long-term dietary strategy to prevent weight loss in obese individuals. The effect on weight loss was similar to that of an existing continuous energy-restricted diet. However, long term studies and safety data are still lacking, and large-scale studies with various populations are needed. If more evidence is secured for various individuals, it can be expected that intermittent fasting, including time-restricted eating, will be applied clinically in the future.