INS and rheumatoid arthritis: Also, prolonged fasting (that is, food deprivation for over 2 days) can decrease disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (Hafstrom et al., 1988), improved insulin release and maintained glucose tolerance (Solianik et al., 2023; Tripolt et al., 2023), and has potential mood-enhancing and pain-relieving effects in chronic pain patients (Michalsen, 2010).