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ProLon Reviews 2024: Try Fast-Mimicking Diet In 5 Days

Lisandra Fields

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Kimberly Langdon, MD

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ProLon

9.0

Quality

9.0

Support Research

8.5

Reputation

7.0

Price

Features

  • Contains plant-based ingredients
  • Gluten-free
  • Exceptional taste
  • Convenient packaging
  • Clinically researched
  • Aids in weight loss
  • Cleans up worn-out cells

Brand Information

  • Invented by Dr. Valter Longo
  • Based in Los Angeles, California, US
  • Private company
  • Utilizes plant-based ingredients

Medical Benefits

  • Promotes longevity and health
  • Delivers optimal nourishment
  • Cellular rejuvenation and regeneration
  • Eliminates damaged tissues and cells
  • Maintains healthy blood pressure levels
  • Decreases visceral fat

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About The Brand

ProLon was created by Italian researcher and biologist, Dr. Valter Longo. He started the company with the intention of replicating the perks of fasting while offering the body a fair level of nutrition.

What Is ProLon Plan?

The ProLon plan, or the Fasting Mimicking Diet, is a low-calorie, high-fat, intermittent fasting technique that provides a 5-day prepackaged meal. It’s basically a way to make your body think it’s dieting, without actually going hungry. This method is supposed to give you all the benefits of a typical fast, minus the hassle of starving yourself.

The ProLon Plan offers pre-portioned meals with the right amounts of macro and micronutrients to make your body think you’re fasting. 

Please note: There’s nothing cheap about the ProLon Plan. It retails for a whopping $250 despite the fact that the box is next to empty! On the plus side, however, when you invest in the ProLon plan, you’re bound to be fully compliant for the next 5 days.  

The ProLon diet is low in carbs and protein, and relatively high in fat. The plan offers foods such as crackers, bars, olives, soups, and vitamins along with a specially formulated drink. The olives, nuts, and crackers make up for a huge part of the fat. 

Feature Product & Coupon

ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet

Best Choice

ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet

  • Contains plant-based ingredients
  • Gluten-free
  • Exceptional taste
  • Convenient packaging
  • Clinically researched
  • Aids in weight loss
  • Cleans up worn-out cells

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Does It Really Work?

Even if you don’t follow the ProLon plan to shed a few kilos, you’ll still lose at least 5lbs within those 5 days. While it’s uncertain as to whether you’ll experience any anti-aging effects, you’re most likely to experience the following benefits: 

  • A massive boost in energy levels.
  • Increased rate of productivity (probably because you’re limiting what you eat)
  • Superb sleep quality
  • No bloating. You might experience this especially if you overeat low-calorie food.

Will you achieve a similar feeling when you limit your calories on your own? You probably would, but it would be a lot harder. 

Following the ProLon Plan will become easier only if you commit yourself mentally to completing the standard 5 days. The good thing about it is that you don’t have to calculate or think about your food intake. The more time you spend in the kitchen cooking, the more you’ll eat. 

However, with the prepackaged meal, you’ll spend almost no time in the kitchen, eradicating any form of temptation. 

One strategy you can employ for the plan to work is to stay intentionally distracted and always busy. If you frequently think of the fact that you’re fasting, or that you’re only limited to the food in the box, you’ll crave other foods. Get lost in doing something you love and you’ll successfully complete the 5 days and experience the full benefits. 

Pros

  • Promotes higher energy levels
  • Enhances dietary awareness
  • Reduces blood sugar
  • Promotes fat loss
  • Regulates aging
  • Enhances rejuvenating and regenerative changes

Cons

  • Highly-priced
  • Extravagant packaging
  • Unpopular special drinks

What’s Inside ProLon Plan?

ProLon offers a prepackaged meal kit that should sustain you for a five-day period. All snacks and meals are plant-based and whole-food sourced. All the meal kits provided in the kits are low in protein and carbs yet rich in good fats like flax and olives. 

What's inside ProLon Plan?

Within the five-day period, you’re expected to only consume the contents of the meal kit. According to one study, the ProLon plan is structured to supplement between 34 and 54% of the average calorie intake[1]. This calorie limitation imitates the body’s physiological response to conventional fasting methods like fat loss, decreased inflammation, fat loss, and cell regeneration. 
The low-carb, high-fat, low-calorie content prompts your body to source energy from noncarbohydrate sources upon depletion of glycogen stores. This process is referred to as gluconeogenesis[2].

Eliminates Carb Cravings

Fasting is a difficult task for most people. To others, it seems next to impossible. With ProLon, you can easily carb your cravings as you also keep your energy stable. This diet plan goes a long way in giving you a trimmer waistline. You don’t need to worry about persistent hunger, long-term dieting commitments, or even present lifestyle changes. 

Clinically Proven

ProLon has undergone extensive clinical and preclinical studies over the past 20 years. The study was conducted in different obesity research facilities and sponsored by the NIH (National Institute of Health). It’s been proven that ProLon kickstarts weight loss and supports healthy rejuvenation and metabolism from inside your body.

Health Benefits Of Fasting Mimicking Diet

Fasting mimicking diet (FMD) is a kind of periodic fasting that often exhibits exemplary results that are eerily similar to normal fasting. The following are some reasons why you should adopt this unique weight loss technique:

Aids in Weight Management

After years of extensive research on FMD in animals, Longo and his team researched the effects in a clinical trial for human beings. A hundred healthy individuals took part in the study. A section of them partook of the 5-day ProLon FMD for three months, while the other half went on with their normal diet. 

There were significant differences between the two groups. The FMD group reported positive results in terms of visceral fat loss, weight loss[3], declines in blood cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, as well as markers of inflammation. 

Supports Healthy Brain Functionality  

In FMD preliminary studies, exceptional brain changes[4] were reported on this unique diet. Healthy mice were put on a 4-day FMD diet twice a month and the results of the study included mineral density loss, lower visceral fat, boosted longevity, and a heightened immune system.

The FMD cycles enhanced brain growth (hippocampal neurogenesis) in older mice. Researchers reported a breakthrough in heightened cognitive performance[5]. This is a benefit that’s highly possible in human beings.  

Capable of Lowering Cancer Markers

Even more astonishing was the decline in IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). IGF-1 is a common biomarker for gradual cancer growth and a rise in stem cell production. Dr. Longo’s USC team markets the FMD program as one that promotes rejuvenating and regenerative changes.

There are also thought-provoking data that suggests that fusing cancer chemotherapy with the ProLon FMD might result in fewer side effects and improved success[6]. While more studies are required before definite claims can be made, the data so far is promising. 

Slows Aging and Boosts Cellular Regeneration

Among the main reasons, Dr. Longo created the Fasting Mimicking Diet was to slow aging and the risk of deadly diseases by boosting cellular regeneration (the body’s ability to repair itself). 

Intermittent fasting optimizes autophagy (a process of recycling damaged cells), thus slowing cellular aging and providing protection against cognitive decline.  

A study[7] in mice revealed that a short-term diet restriction caused a dramatic spike of autophagy within nerve cells. Alternative animal studies[8] have shown that fasting boosts brain function by increasing the generation of nerve cells. 

Potential Side Effects

While there are some profound health benefits in regards to FMD, there are also some negative side effects that some users (especially those that don’t eat olives) may experience. Some potential side effects include: 

  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Fatigue
  • Mild headache
  • Abdominal bloating

The ProLon FMD contains precise guidelines on who shouldn’t participate[9] in the program.

ProLon Review: What Do Real Users Say?

“What I love about it is all the food packed in a single box. Very convenient. The food’ good and fairly satisfying. What I don’t like is the plastic bottles and poor packaging.”

Barbara Dunn.

“I loved it! It felt pretty amazing after completing the 5-day fast!”

ALB

“It took years for me to get my order (by years I mean 8 days). I haven’t really had a chance to unbox my package. I find the long wait time really frustrating since it’s always come within 3-4 days. I wanted to fast this past week, but its late arrival really messed up my plans.”

April N.

“The delivery was too slow that I just had to postpone my fast. I do look forward to the program though. My friends have tried it and reported massive success.”

Emily.

“ I’m thankful for the benefits I enjoyed after using it for the first time. I went on to buy a second package only to regret it later. ProLon’s return policy is just messed up. Honestly, we’re a community of consumers who shop with the option of making a return. I should be able to return an unopened package.”

Tara Perry

“I just love ProLon. The meals are tasty plus the program gives you an opportunity to enjoy all the fasting benefits without actually fasting. I suggest we all subscribe to this program to fund the research for everyone’s benefit.”

Stefano Piotti

Alternatives To ProLon

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers

See Weight Watchers Review

  • Flexible and balanced
  • Teaches healthy lifelong diet skills
  • Lowers risk of diabetes
  • May be costly
  • Might lead to harmful dieting
BistroMD

Bistro MD

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  • Offers different meal plans
  • Customized menu
  • Cancel anytime
  • High shipping fee

Final Thought: Is It Worth Buying?

On balance, you’re sure to have a positive experience with FMD. The prepacked boxes make the fast a lot easy to follow. While there are times that you’re going to be extremely hungry, you don’t need to worry about that; it’s highly manageable. It might help to drink a lot of tea and water throughout the day. 

You’ll also be surprised to note that your energy levels will be fairly intact all through your fast. With that said, it’s safe to conclude that the ProLon Plan isn’t for everyone. If you’ve never fasted before, you’re going to experience tiredness, bloating, and headache. 

ProLon is NOT worth buying if you lead an active lifestyle, suffer from diet issues or you’re heavily pregnant. It might be somewhat difficult to stick to a strict diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ProLon?

ProLon is a 5-day program that’s specially formulated to offer all the benefits of fasting within a pleasant and safe fasting-mimicking period. ProLon mostly consists of plant-based supplements, drinks, olives, crackers, bars, and soups. This program offers between 750 and 1100 calories every day for five days.

How should you take the ProLon Plan?

Follow the plan faithfully for five days. Take a day to transition then resume your normal diet from there. Luckily every carton comes with a set of ready instructions. Different meal combinations are offered each day for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. Take meals that are allocated on a specific day for that day only. Never carry over any meal to the following day.

Is there a special ‘Transition Day’ diet after successfully completing the ProLon Plan?

At the end of your ProLon diet, steer clear from binge eating. Instead, try to gradually resume your normal diet. Take liquid foods first (fruit juices, soups, etc.), then light meals (pasta, rice, limited portions of legumes, fish meat, etc.). Resume your normal diet at least 24 hours after completion of the ProLon plan. 

Is there a special ‘Transition Day’ diet after successfully completing the ProLon Plan?

 At the end of your ProLon diet, steer clear from binge eating. Instead, try to gradually resume your normal diet. Take liquid foods first (fruit juices, soups, etc.), then light meals (pasta, rice, limited portions of legumes, fish meat, etc.). Resume your normal diet at least 24 hours after completion of the ProLon plan. 

Can you consume other foods while on a ProLon plan?

The ProLon diet offers everything you need to keep you nourished for 5 days. For that reason, stay off other foods or drinks (besides decaffeinated tea and water) while on the ProLon plan. Doing otherwise might lower the efficacy of the plan and hinder the rejuvenation and self-repair mechanisms from carrying out their function.

What can you do if you’re extremely hungry within the 5-day period?

Because the ProLon plan contains limited calories, you’re bound to get really hungry within those 5 days. In such a case, it’s recommended to consume foods that are NOT highly caloric e.g a slice of apple. Not to worry tho. The excessive hunger might subside by the third or fourth day.

What makes the ProLon Plan ‘anti-aging?

ProLon is a clinically proven and scientifically developed Periodic Fasting Mimicking Diet that induces a manipulative fasting effect. This, in turn, enhances your metabolic health and lowers age-related risk factors. ProLon’s rejuvenation effect makes it easy to lose weight fast while still maintaining lean body mass (bone and muscle).

What is ProLon’s special drink made from?

It’s made from water and plant-derived glycerol. These selections are the result of extensive research aimed at maximizing nourishment and safety without impeding the diet’s beneficial effects.


+ 9 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. Brandhorst, S., Choi, I., Wei, M., Cheng, C., Sedrakyan, S., Navarrete, G., Dubeau, L., Yap, L., Park, R., Vinciguerra, M., Di Biase, S., Mirzaei, H., Mirisola, Mario G., Childress, P., Ji, L., Groshen, S., Penna, F., Odetti, P., Perin, L. and Conti, Peter S. (2015). A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan. Cell Metabolism, [online] 22(1), pp.86–99. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26094889/.
  2. ‌Rui, L. (2014). Energy Metabolism in the Liver. Comprehensive Physiology, [online] pp.177–197. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4050641/.
  3. ‌Wei, M., Brandhorst, S., Shelehchi, M., Mirzaei, H., Cheng, C.W., Budniak, J., Groshen, S., Mack, W.J., Guen, E., Di Biase, S., Cohen, P., Morgan, T.E., Dorff, T., Hong, K., Michalsen, A., Laviano, A. and Longo, V.D. (2017). Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Science Translational Medicine, [online] 9(377). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28202779/.
  4. ‌Brandhorst, S., Choi, I., Wei, M., Cheng, C., Sedrakyan, S., Navarrete, G., Dubeau, L., Yap, L., Park, R., Vinciguerra, M., Di Biase, S., Mirzaei, H., Mirisola, Mario G., Childress, P., Ji, L., Groshen, S., Penna, F., Odetti, P., Perin, L. and Conti, Peter S. (2015). A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan. Cell Metabolism, [online] 22(1), pp.86–99. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26094889/.
  5. ‌Shojaie, M., Ghanbari, F. and Shojaie, N. (2017). Intermittent fasting could ameliorate cognitive function against distress by regulation of inflammatory response pathway. Journal of Advanced Research, [online] 8(6), pp.697–701. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5608558/.
  6. ‌Di Biase, S. and Longo, V.D. (2016). Fasting-induced differential stress sensitization in cancer treatment. Molecular & Cellular Oncology, [online] 3(3), p.e1117701. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27314084/.
  7. ‌Alirezaei, M., Kemball, C.C., Flynn, C.T., Wood, M.R., Whitton, J.L. and Kiosses, W.B. (2010). Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy, [online] 6(6), pp.702–710. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3106288/.
  8. ‌Tajes, M., Gutierrez-Cuesta, J., Folch, J., Ortuño-Sahagun, D., Verdaguer, E., Jiménez, A., Junyent, F., Lau, A., Camins, A. and Pallàs, M. (2010). Neuroprotective role of intermittent fasting in senescence-accelerated mice P8 (SAMP8). Experimental Gerontology, [online] 45(9), pp.702–710. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20460146/.
  9. ProLon UK. (2018). The Fasting Mimicking Diet | FMD Diet | ProLon UK. [online] Available at: https://prolon.co.uk/.
Lisandra Fields

Medically reviewed by:

Kimberly Langdon

Lisandra Fields is a freelance medical writer from Pennsylvania who creates articles, blog posts, fact sheets, and website content for health-related organizations across North America. She has experience working with a wide range of clients, from health charities to businesses to media outlets. She has experience writing about cancer, diabetes, ALS, cannabis, personality psychology, and COVID-19, among many other topics. Lisandra enjoys reading scientific journal articles and finding creative ways to distill the ideas for a general audience.

Medically reviewed by:

Kimberly Langdon

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