Why Thomas Delauer Quit Intermittent Fasting & Stopped Skipping Breakfast — Key Takeaways

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Why Thomas Delauer Quit Intermittent Fasting & Stopped Skipping Breakfast
Jay Feldman Wellness18mOct 1, 2026
Watch the originalDaily 16:8 fasting elevates morning cortisol and can flatten your circadian cortisol rhythm over time, so use intermittent fasting as a short-term tool rather than a daily long-term habit.
Key takeaways
Daily 16:8 fasting flattens circadian cortisol rhythm over years
Daily 16:8 fasting flattens circadian cortisol rhythm over years
- Skipping breakfast prevents the food signal that lowers cortisol, keeping it elevated via gluconeogenesis
- Chronic morning stress response trains the body into a sustained stressed state
Fasting elevates cortisol within days, not years
Fasting elevates cortisol within days, not years
- Studies cited show cortisol shifts after just a few days of intermittent fasting, not only after years
- Downstream negative effects appear within weeks, contradicting the 'only over years' framing
Morning carbs and protein lower cortisol via insulin
Morning carbs and protein lower cortisol via insulin
- Eating signals HPA axis that resources are available, letting cortisol decline
- Carbs are especially effective because they stimulate insulin, which opposes cortisol
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In this video
- 1mThomas Delauer admits that intermittent fasting increases cortisol
- 7mwhat fasting does to your digestion, thyroid, hormones, and metabolism
- 13mwhy intermittent fasting is stressful and increases cortisol
“You're essentially training your body to wake up in a slightly stressed state day after day after day.”
— Thomas DeLauer
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