ProLon® Fasting Mimicking Diet in Herndon, VA
A 5-day, food-based nutrition program developed by USC’s Longevity Institute to help your body capture the metabolic benefits of fasting — without actually going hungry.
Core iV Therapy is a ProLon partner clinic. Purchase your kit in person at our Herndon office, or order online and have it shipped directly to your door.
Core iV Therapy is an official ProLon partner. Orders placed through our link go directly through ProLon’s secure checkout.
What Is the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet?
The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) is a scientifically developed 5-day nutrition program designed to mimic the effects of fasting at the cellular level while still allowing you to eat. It was developed by Dr. Valter Longo, director of the USC Longevity Institute, along with the nutrition company L-Nutra, based on more than 20 years of fasting research.
Unlike a water-only fast, ProLon provides pre-portioned, plant-based foods — soups, bars, olives, crackers, and herbal teas — in specific, low-calorie amounts each day. The combination of low protein, low carbohydrate, and moderate healthy fat is designed to keep your body in a fasting-like metabolic state, even though you’re technically still eating.
It’s also different from everyday intermittent fasting (like a 16:8 eating window), which restricts when you eat but not usually what or how much. ProLon restricts both, for five consecutive days, then returns you to normal eating for the rest of the month.
How Does the Fasting Mimicking Diet Work?
Short answer: ProLon’s specific calorie and macronutrient formula is designed to convince your body it’s fasting — triggering fat-burning and cellular renewal processes — while the food itself helps protect against the muscle loss and nutrient deficiencies that come with true prolonged fasting.
When calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake drop low enough for several consecutive days, the body shifts out of its normal “fed” state and into pathways it typically only uses during true fasting: it begins pulling from fat stores for energy, and cellular repair processes — including a “cellular cleanup” process called autophagy — become more active. Autophagy has been consistently demonstrated in animal studies, where periodic fasting-mimicking cycles have extended healthspan; in humans, this process is harder to measure directly, so most human research instead tracks its downstream effects — things like body weight, waist circumference, blood sugar, blood pressure, and biological age markers.
Want the deeper mechanism? See our breakdown of the 7 cellular systems that control aging.
What’s Included in the 5-Day Kit
Each ProLon kit contains five small, individually labeled boxes — one for each day of the program — so there’s no counting, weighing, or meal planning required.
- Day 1: ~1,100 calories — eases your body into the fasting state
- Days 2–5: ~750–800 calories per day — plant-based soups, bars, olives, crackers, an algal-oil supplement, and herbal teas
- A lower-calorie ProLon FIT version is also available for smaller body sizes (generally under about 150 lbs)
All foods are pre-measured and clearly labeled by day and mealtime, so the structure of the program is handled for you — your job is simply to follow the boxes in order.
Potential Benefits, Backed by Research
We believe in being straightforward about what’s established, what’s emerging, and what’s still theoretical — not every claim about fasting belongs in the same category.
Demonstrated in Published Human Research
- Reductions in body weight and waist circumference
- Improvements in blood pressure and select cardiometabolic risk markers
- Reduced insulin resistance and improved glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes, in a 12-month primary-care randomized trial
- Measurable reduction in biological age markers across repeated monthly cycles, shown in a two-cohort USC study
- Improved skin hydration and skin texture over three monthly cycles, in a randomized controlled trial
Active Areas of Ongoing Research (Investigational)
- Use alongside chemotherapy to support tolerability
- Supportive role in periodontal (gum) treatment outcomes
- Potential mood-related benefits when paired with therapy for depression
- Immune response support in older adults
Theoretical / Mechanistic
Autophagy-driven cellular renewal is the underlying mechanism believed to drive many of the effects above — well supported in animal models, and still being mapped in humans.
Core iV Therapy does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet is a nutrition program, not a medical treatment, and results vary by individual. Talk to your physician about how it fits into your overall care, especially if you manage a chronic condition or take prescription medication.
Who May Consider the ProLon Program
- People wanting a structured, guided way to try periodic fasting without figuring out a protocol themselves
- Those focused on metabolic health, healthy weight management, or supporting insulin sensitivity — see our Insulin Resistance support program
- Clients already working on longevity- or biohacking-focused protocols at Core iV who want a nutrition component to stack alongside NAD+, peptides, or hyperbaric oxygen — read more on why we stack therapies
- Anyone who has found extended water-only fasting too difficult to sustain but still wants fasting-like benefits
Who Should Avoid It / Safety Considerations
Short answer: ProLon isn’t appropriate for everyone. It should be avoided by anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, underweight, has a history of an eating disorder, or has certain medical conditions — and it should always be discussed with a physician first if you take prescription medication.
People who should not start the ProLon program without direct physician guidance include:
- Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Anyone underweight or with a history of nutritional deficiency
- Anyone with a current or past eating disorder
- People under 18
- Anyone with poorly controlled diabetes, or taking insulin or other glucose-lowering medications (risk of hypoglycemia)
- Anyone with significant kidney disease, a recent heart attack, or another serious chronic illness
- Anyone currently on prescription medication who hasn’t confirmed the program is safe to combine with it
Mild side effects — hunger, fatigue, headache, or light-headedness — are common in the first one to two days for people new to any fasting protocol, and typically ease as the body adjusts. Prescription medications should never be stopped or adjusted without your prescribing provider’s guidance.
This information is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice. If you have any underlying health condition, please consult your physician before beginning the ProLon program.
How Often Should You Do the ProLon 5-Day Program?
Most of the published research uses a repeating pattern: one 5-day cycle per month for three consecutive months, followed by a maintenance cycle every one to three months depending on individual goals. This cadence — five days of the program, roughly twenty-five days of normal eating — is what the majority of the clinical evidence is actually based on, which is why we don’t recommend doing back-to-back cycles without a break.
Your ideal frequency depends on your goals, health status, and how your body responds — something our team can talk through with you at pickup or during a consultation.
Two Ways to Get Your ProLon Kit at Core iV Therapy
Purchase In-Office in Herndon
Pick up your kit directly at Core iV Therapy, 108 Elden Street, Suite 15A, Herndon, VA 20170. Our team can walk you through the day-by-day structure, answer questions in person, and help you plan your program around any other Core iV services you’re using.
Order Online, Shipped to Your Door
Order directly through Core iV Therapy’s official ProLon partner link. You’ll check out securely on ProLon’s own site, and your kit ships straight to you.
Pricing: contact our Herndon office for current in-office kit pricing. Online pricing and any active promotions are set by ProLon/L-Nutra and displayed at checkout through our partner link.
What to Expect During Your 5 Days
- Day 1 is the easiest — calories are highest, and most people feel largely normal.
- Days 2–3 tend to be the hardest as your body shifts into a more fasting-like state; mild hunger, low energy, or “food noise” (persistent thoughts about eating) are common.
- Days 4–5 are when many people report feeling their energy return, often alongside improved mental clarity and reduced hunger as the body adapts.
A few things that help: stay ahead of hydration (water and the included herbal teas), keep physical activity light rather than intense, and plan for a lower-key week if this is your first cycle.
Preparing for Your Program
- Talk to your physician first, especially if you take medication or manage a chronic condition.
- Pick your window. Many clients choose a lighter week — not a week with major workouts, travel, or high-stress deadlines.
- Stock up on hydration support. Water, herbal tea, and electrolytes (without added sugar) help the days go more smoothly.
- Decide how you’ll pick up or receive your kit — in-office in Herndon, or shipped to you through our partner link.
- Consider pairing it with other Core iV services before or after your 5 days — many clients add an IV hydration session or NAD+ therapy to support energy during the reset.
Why Choose Core iV Therapy for Your ProLon Journey
Core iV Therapy is an official ProLon partner clinic in Herndon, VA, serving clients throughout Reston, Northern Virginia, and the greater Washington, DC metro area. Unlike ordering from ProLon with no local support, our team can talk you through what to expect, help you time your cycle around your schedule, and show you how the FMD fits alongside the other longevity- and metabolic-health-focused therapies we offer — including NAD+ therapy, peptide therapy, and our Insulin Resistance support program. If you’re already exploring biohacking or healthy-aging protocols with us, ProLon is a nutrition-based addition that complements — rather than duplicates — what we already do.
Research & Evidence
The Fasting Mimicking Diet has one of the more substantial human research bases of any commercial fasting product, largely because it originated from an academic research lab rather than a consumer brand:
- A 2017 USC-led randomized controlled trial (approximately 100 participants) provided some of the first human evidence that periodic FMD cycles were feasible, safe, and associated with reduced body weight, blood pressure, and several other cardiometabolic risk markers. (Study summary)
- A 2024 randomized controlled trial published in Diabetologia found that integrating FMD cycles into primary care for people with type 2 diabetes reduced the need for glucose-lowering medication over 12 months. (Longo Lab publications)
- A 2024 study published in Nature Communications, led by the USC Longo Lab, found that multiple monthly FMD cycles were associated with measurable reductions in biological age across two separate clinical trial populations. (USC Stem Cell article)
- A 2023 randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that three monthly FMD cycles improved skin hydration and helped maintain skin texture in a group of women aged 35–60. (Full study, PMC)
- Several additional trials are currently underway or recruiting, examining the FMD’s role alongside chemotherapy, periodontal treatment, and mood support — these remain investigational. (Example: ClinicalTrials.gov)
ProLon vs. Other Fasting Approaches
| ProLon FMD | Water-Only Fasting | Standard Intermittent Fasting (16:8) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you eat | Pre-portioned plant-based foods (~750–1,100 cal/day) | Nothing — water only | Normal food, within an 8-hour window |
| Typical duration | 5 consecutive days | Usually 24–72 hours | Ongoing, daily pattern |
| Ease of compliance | Structured; foods pre-measured | Difficult for most people | Generally easy to sustain long-term |
| Medical supervision | Recommended for those with health conditions | Strongly recommended, especially beyond 24 hrs | Usually not required for healthy adults |
| Best suited for | A guided, periodic reset with research-backed structure | Short, supervised resets | A sustainable daily eating pattern |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet?
It’s a 5-day, plant-based nutrition program developed by USC’s Longevity Institute that’s designed to give your body many of the metabolic benefits of fasting while you still eat small, specific amounts of food each day.
How much does ProLon cost?
Pricing depends on whether you purchase in-office at Core iV Therapy or order online through our ProLon partner link, and whether a promotion is active. Contact our Herndon office or view current online pricing at checkout.
Is the ProLon diet safe?
For most healthy adults, yes — it’s been studied in multiple clinical trials. It isn’t appropriate for everyone, though; see the safety section above for who should avoid it, and always check with your physician first if you have a health condition or take medication.
Can I buy ProLon in person instead of ordering it online?
Yes. Core iV Therapy sells ProLon kits directly from our Herndon office, or you can order online through our official partner link and have it shipped to you.
How often should I repeat the 5-day program?
Most published research uses one cycle per month for three months, then a maintenance cycle every one to three months. Your ideal frequency depends on your goals — our team can help you plan it.
What can I eat on ProLon?
Only the specific foods included in your day’s box — soups, bars, olives, crackers, and herbal teas — plus water. Nothing outside the kit is part of the program.
Does ProLon actually trigger autophagy in humans?
Autophagy is well documented in animal studies of fasting-mimicking cycles. In humans, it’s difficult to measure directly, so most clinical research instead tracks downstream markers — weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and biological age — which is where the strongest human evidence currently exists.
Can I exercise during my 5 days?
Light activity like walking is generally fine for most people; we typically recommend scaling back high-intensity training during the program, since calorie intake is significantly reduced. Talk with your physician if you have a demanding training schedule.
Ready to Start Your ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet?
Pick up your kit in person in Herndon, or order online and have it shipped directly to you.
Core iV Therapy, 108 Elden Street, Suite 15A, Herndon, VA 20170 — Call 866-426-7348
Core iV Therapy does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent medical conditions. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. As with any new nutrition program, please consult your physician if you have any concerns or to confirm this is right for you.