Time-Restricted Eating
A tiered TRE approach: everyone should eat within a 12-hour window for maintenance; people with metabolic risk factors or longer eating windows should reduce to an 8–10 hour window. Black coffee/tea is permitted outside the eating window, and caffeine should be cut off by 2pm.
Assembled by Cited from Satchin Panda's recorded recommendations across multiple sources. It is not an ordered program and was not created or endorsed by them — it's our grouping of what they've said on the record.
Components
5-
Guest recommendation In a protocol
Almost everyone from age 10 to 100 should eat all food and caloric beverages within a 12-hour daily window to allow the digestive system to rest and repair.
“Almost anyone from 10 year old to 100 year old can and should eat all their food within a 12 hour window.
ZS▶ 33:34DosageConsume all calories within a 12-hour window each day; e.g., 9am–9pmCaveatsAthletes, new mothers, and those with high physical demands can stick to 12 hours rather than shorter windowsCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsementBaseline 12-hour eating window for nearly everyone aged 10–100, including athletes, new mothers, and those with high physical demands. -
Guest recommendation In a protocol
People with metabolic risk factors or eating windows over 12 hours should reduce their eating window by 3+ hours, aiming for an 8–10 hour window to improve sleep, energy, blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol.
“if you reduce your eating window by three or more hours… you'll actually begin to see a lot of benefits
ZS▶ 34:55DosageEat all food within an 8–10 hour window daily; reduce current eating window by at least 3 hours; not less than 8 hoursCaveatsDon't shrink below 8 hours; combine with healthy food, not junkCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsementStricter 8–10 hour window for people with metabolic risk factors or currently eating >12 hours/day. -
Guest recommendation In a protocol
Avoid eating late at night because it confuses the body clock — the body cannot tell whether it's a late dinner or early breakfast, disrupting clocks in liver, gut, heart and kidney.
“if you're eating very late into the night, then that night your body clock gets confused
ZS▶ 26:00Certaintyexplicitstrong warningAvoid late-night eating, which confuses peripheral clocks. -
Guest recommendation In a protocol
Black coffee or tea is acceptable during the morning fasting window to delay breakfast, but reduce or stop if it causes acid reflux or heartburn.
“if you have acid reflux, heartburn… then that may not be the best thing for your gut
ZS▶ 42:16DosageBlack coffee or tea allowed outside eating window; avoid excessive amounts (e.g., a liter) on empty stomachCaveatsLarge amounts on empty stomach can trigger acid reflux or heartburn in some peopleCertaintyhedgedmild cautionBlack coffee or tea permitted outside the eating window to delay breakfast; avoid if causing acid reflux. -
Guest recommendation In a protocol
Stop drinking coffee or tea by 2pm if you plan to sleep between 10pm and midnight, because caffeine has a ~6–8 hour half-life and disrupts sleep.
“no coffee or tea after 2pm if you are planning to go to sleep between say 10pm and midnight
ZS▶ 41:10DosageNo coffee or tea after 2pmCertaintyexplicitrecommendationNo caffeine after 2pm to protect sleep, which is integral to the circadian/TRE protocol.
How this protocol has evolved
Panda's lab pioneered TRE in mice ~12 years ago; human studies have since refined the 8–10 hour window guidance.