72 hour water fast

A 72-hour water fast, in which a person abstains from meals and simply drinks water for three days in a row, can have both benefits and hazards. 

It is crucial to emphasise that prolonged fasting should be done with caution, especially if you have underlying health issues or are pregnant, breastfeeding, or underweight.

Here’s an overview of the possible potential benefits and risks.

Benefits:

Extended fasting can cause rapid weight loss due to glycogen depletion and enhanced fat oxidation. 

After a 72-hour fast, Halberg et al. (2005) found that larger men had better control of their glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. This shows that fasting may be good for some groups of people’s metabolic health, but seek medical before starting.

Zauner et al. (2000) discovered that a 72-hour fast resulted in considerable decreases in body weight and body fat percentage in healthy persons. This suggests that fasting may be effective for weight loss and body composition improvement. Additionally, fasting can increase insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, potentially lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Moreover, evidence suggests that intermittent fasting, particularly prolonged fasting, may have neuroprotective benefits and improve cognitive performance (Mattson et al., 2019). However, it’s important to note that caution should be exercised, Modi et al. (2019) reported a case of acute electrolyte imbalance and cardiac arrest after a 72-hour water fast.

Cheng et al. (2019) study suggests that fasting-induced autophagy may help protect against neurodegenerative diseases. they think that a process called autophagy, which breaks down and recycles parts of cells, could help avoid or treat diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Potential Risks:

Cawood et al. (2015) found incidences of dietary deficits and electrolyte abnormalities in people fasting for an extended period of time. Prolonged fasting can cause muscle breakdown and loss of lean body mass, particularly in individuals with low protein consumption or who engage in vigorous physical exercise. Longo et al. (2019) emphasized the importance of protein intake and exercise during fasting to prevent muscle loss. For instance, if you’re training within your fasting period, replenishing macronutrients is essential to maintain muscle mass. Additionally, prolonged fasting has the potential to exacerbate or initiate disordered eating patterns, especially in individuals predisposed to such issues.

While a 72-hour water fast may have potential benefits, it is critical to measure them against the nutritional deficits and take into account individual considerations such as medical history, nutritional state, and personal performance. All prolonged fasting needs to be actioned by a medical physician (Modi et al., 2019). Overall, intermittent fasting or shorter-duration fasting regimes were found to provide comparable advantages while posing fewer dangers for some people who don’t have underlying psychological or health issues (Patterson et al., 2015).

References:

  1. Halberg, N. et al., (2005). Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 99(6), 2128-2136.
  2. Cheng, C. W. et al., (2019). Fasting-mimicking diet promotes Ngn3-driven β-cell regeneration to reverse diabetes. Cell, 168(5), 775-788.
  3. Mattson, M. P. et al., (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46-58.
  4. Cawood, A. L. et al., (2015). A case of near fatal voluntary water intoxication: a reminder of the potential consequences of prolonged fasting. BMJ Case Reports, 2015, bcr2015212136.
  5. Longo, V. D., & Panda, S. (2016). Fasting, circadian rhythms, and time-restricted feeding in healthy lifespan. Cell Metabolism, 23(6), 1048-1059.
  6. Modi, V. et al., (2019). Reversible asystole induced by prolonged fasting: a rare and potentially fatal cause of bradyarrhythmia. Cureus, 11(9).
  7. Patterson, R. E. et al., (2015). Intermittent Fasting and Human Metabolic Health. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(8), 1203–1212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.02.018.
  8. Zauner, C., et.al., (2000). Resting energy expenditure in short-term starvation is increased as a result of an increase in serum norepinephrine. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(6), 1511-1515.
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