Health
Golfer Phil Mickelson’s strict weight loss diet: Doctor shares what to know
Professional golfer Phil Mickelson, who made his 32nd start in The Masters this week, has been open about his commitment to health and wellness.
The six-time major champion and three-time Masters winner has said he follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds in 2023.
Intermittent fasting (IF) has become a popular weight-loss strategy in recent years.
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There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating.
Phil Mickelson is pictured competing in golf tournaments 24 years apart, in 2001 (left) and 2025 (right). The six-time major champion and three-time Masters winner has said he follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds in 2023. (Reuters / AP )
With a time-restricted approach, the dieter only eats during a certain window. For example, with the 16/8 method, the person fasts for 16 hours and then can eat within an eight-hour span, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Other versions involve fasting for a full 24 hours once or twice per week — or only consuming limited calories on fasting days.
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Dr. Christopher Rhodes — a longevity, fasting and biomimetics researcher in California, shared his thoughts on Mickelson’s radical fasting program, which also includes drinking coffee with supplements.
“A five-day prolonged fast like the one Phil Mickelson follows will have profound effects on metabolism and weight loss,” he told Fox News Digital.
Phil Mickelson watches on the sixth hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament on April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. The athlete has been open about his commitment to health and wellness. (AP Photos)
“It fundamentally shifts the energy state and fuel sources in the body and forces stored fat to be burned as energy, but certainly at the expense of elite athletic performance, especially in the later stages of a fast.”
Potential risks
Fasting for longer than 24 hours will deplete the body’s glycogen stores and cause it to enter ketosis, a state where it primarily burns fat and ketones for energy, according to Rhodes, who is also the founder of nutrition company Mimio Health.
“While this will accelerate fat loss and provide benefits to overall metabolic health, the body will still need to produce some of its own glucose in order to support brain function and will start to break down protein sources, like muscle, to maintain proper glucose levels.”
“A five-day prolonged fast like the one Phil Mickelson follows will have profound effects on metabolism and weight loss.”
Over time, this will result in muscle breakdown, strength loss, fatigue and lower overall energy levels, which could hinder athletic performance, according to the expert.
Mickelson has spoken about his own muscle loss as a result of his fasting.
“I also lost muscle, so I had to start lifting, and I’ve been lifting and slowly have been getting my speed and strength back to where I need it to be,” he said during the 2023 Masters.
There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating. (iStock)
For elite athletes, maintaining muscle mass and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said.
“Extended fasts may slow down recovery, impair high-intensity exercise performance and even reduce power output if not properly managed.”
The doctor cautioned that a prolonged five-day fast should not be performed more than a few times per year, with plenty of recovery time in between.
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Certain groups — such as those at risk of muscle loss, like the elderly — should avoid five-day fasts, he said.
“While fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, cognition, cellular function and metabolic efficiency, shorter intermittent fasting windows or fasting-mimicking strategies may offer similar metabolic benefits without the drawbacks of extreme caloric restriction,” Rhodes added.
Smart supplements
Mickelson reportedly drinks coffee with supplements during his fasts, something Rhodes recommends as a means of preserving energy and muscle mass during weight loss.
“During prolonged fasting, the body begins to break down both protein and fat for energy, which can lead to muscle loss,” he said.
Mickelson reportedly drinks coffee with supplements during his fasts, something Rhodes recommends as a means of preserving energy and muscle mass during weight loss. (iStock)
“Supplements such as amino acids, fatty acids, electrolytes and certain metabolic bioactives can help mitigate this.”
The doctor noted that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), creatine or HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate) can help to preserve muscle tissue, performance and strength while staying in a fasted state.
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“Likewise, supplementing with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and omega 3s like EPA and DHA, which the body cannot produce on its own, would be crucial for maintaining high-level functionality during prolonged multi-day fasting,” he added.
Phil Mickelson hits from the fairway on the first hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament on April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. For elite athletes, maintaining muscle mass and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said. (AP Photos)
Caffeine from coffee can also serve to provide calorie-free energy, Rhodes noted, while also suppressing appetite and providing a cognitive boost to combat potential fasting-induced brain fog.
“Prolonged fasting can deplete electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium, which are essential for muscle function, hydration and energy production,” he said. “If his supplements include these electrolytes, they may help prevent cramping and fatigue.”
Importance of strength training
Regarding Mickelson’s comments about lifting weights during his fasting stints, Rhodes agreed that weightlifting is essential for preserving and building muscle during weight loss.
“The body operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ principle, especially during periods of caloric restriction or fasting, where it’s actively needing to mobilize energy sources from the body to sustain itself,” the doctor said.
“Muscle is one of the most energetically costly tissues to sustain, so if we’re not using it on a daily basis, the body will preferentially start breaking down muscle to conserve energy.”
Weightlifting is essential for preserving and building muscle during weight loss, experts agree. (iStock)
Resistance training sends a signal to the body that lean mass is essential for survival and tells it to prevent excessive muscle breakdown, prioritizing fat for fuel.
“For athletes like Mickelson, weightlifting also helps maintain neuromuscular coordination, joint integrity and power output,” Rhodes said.
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“Strength training improves insulin sensitivity, enhances metabolic rate and ensures that weight loss comes primarily from fat rather than muscle.”
It’s also important to refuel after a fast with adequate protein intake, the expert added.
Finding healthy patterns
Ultimately, according to Rhodes, the best way to support long-term weight loss and metabolic health is to find a pattern of eating that works for the individual and can be sustained for the long haul.
“During prolonged fasting, the body begins to break down both protein and fat for energy, which can lead to muscle loss.”
“While some find that periods of fasting are helpful in resetting their hunger and satiety cues and developing a better relationship with food, others may find it too restrictive and overwhelming, setting themselves up for failure and rebound binging down the road,” he said.
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“Every person is different, but prioritizing nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that are rich in fiber, protein and healthy fats can aid significantly in reducing cravings and improving quality of life and meal satisfaction.”
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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A drug that has long been used to treat seizures has shown promise as a potential means of Alzheimer’s prevention, a new study suggests.
The anti-seizure medication, levetiracetam, was first approved by the FDA in November 1999 under the brand name Keppra as a therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults. The approval has since expanded to include children and other types of seizures.
Northwestern University researchers recently found that levetiracetam prevented the formation of toxic amyloid beta peptides, which are small protein fragments in the brain that are commonly seen in Alzheimer’s patients.
The medication was found to prevent the formation of amyloid-beta 42 in both animal models and cultured human neurons, according to the study findings, which were published in Science Translational Medicine.
The effect was also seen in post-mortem human brain tissue obtained from individuals with Down syndrome, who are at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
The medication was found to prevent the formation of amyloid-beta 42 in both animal models and cultured human neurons. (iStock)
“While many of the Alzheimer’s drugs currently on the market, such as lecanemab and donanemab, are approved to clear existing amyloid plaques, we’ve identified this mechanism that prevents the production of the amyloid‑beta 42 peptides and amyloid plaques,” said corresponding author Jeffrey Savas, associate professor of behavioral neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in a press release.
“Our new results uncovered new biology while also opening doors for new drug targets.”
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The brain is better able to avoid the pathway that produces toxic amyloid‑beta 42 proteins in younger years, but the aging process gradually weakens that ability, Savas noted.
“This is not a statement of disease; this is just a part of aging. But in brains developing Alzheimer’s, too many neurons go astray, and that’s when you get amyloid-beta 42 production,” he said.
The effect was also seen in post-mortem human brain tissue obtained from individuals with Down syndrome, who are at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. (iStock)
That then leads to tau (“tangles”) — abnormal clumps of protein inside brain neurons — which can kill brain cells, trigger neuroinflammation and lead to dementia.
In order for levetiracetam to function as an Alzheimer’s blocker, high-risk patients would have to start taking it “very, very early,” Savas said — up to 20 years before elevated amyloid-beta 42 levels would be detected.
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“You couldn’t take this when you already have dementia, because the brain has already undergone a number of irreversible changes and a lot of cell death,” the researcher noted.
The researchers also did a deep dive into previous human clinical data to determine whether Alzheimer’s patients who were taking the anti-seizure drug had slower cognitive decline. They reported that the patients in that category had a “significant delay” in the span from cognitive decline to death compared to those not taking the drug.
“This analysis supports the positive effect of levetiracetam to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s pathology,” the researcher said. (iStock)
“Although the magnitude of change was small (on the scale of a few years), this analysis supports the positive effect of levetiracetam to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s pathology,” Savas said.
Looking ahead, the research team aims to find people who have genetic forms of Alzheimer’s to participate in testing, Savas said.
Limitations and caveats
The study had several limitations, including that it relied on animal models and cultured cells, with no human trials conducted.
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Because the study was observational in nature, it can’t prove that the medication caused the prevention of the toxic brain proteins, the researchers acknowledged.
Savas noted that levetiracetam “is not perfect,” cautioning that it breaks down in the body very quickly.
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The team is currently working to create a “better version” that would last longer in the body and “better target the mechanism that prevents the production of the plaques.”
“You couldn’t take this when you already have dementia, because the brain has already undergone a number of irreversible changes and a lot of cell death.”
The medication’s common documented side effects include drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, irritability, headache, loss of appetite and nasal congestion.
It has also been linked to potential mood and behavior changes, including anxiety, depression, agitation and aggression, according to the prescribing information. In rare cases, it could lead to severe allergic reactions, skin reactions, blood disorders and suicidal ideation.
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Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.
Fox News Digital reached out to the drug manufacturer and the researchers for comment.
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