5 Health Benefits of Fasting

The health and fitness industry is becoming more and more aware of the benefits of fasting. People usually fast for spiritual reasons, to lose weight, increase their appetite, or improve their habits. Several studies have shown that fasting can have significant effects on the body and brain and may even help slow down aging.

Fasting has existed in various forms since the beginning of time for the human race. Hunter-gatherers didn’t have refrigerators, preservation techniques, or food available all the time, making them fast unwillingly. The benefits of fasting also include detoxification of the body.

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Common Fasting Methods

All fasting methods involve splitting the day or week into eating and fasting periods. During fasting, no food can be consumed. These guidelines vary with the type of fasting being followed. The benefits of fasting may also vary with the methods being followed.

The popular methods of fasting are:

• The 16/8 method: This is the most popular and widely followed fasting method. It involves skipping breakfast and restricting the eating period to eight hours, often till dinner. After this period, 16 hours of fasting is followed till lunch on the next day.
• 24 hours fasting: This method involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, lunch to lunch or dinner to dinner. The benefits of fasting for 24 hours include autophagy and detoxification.
• The 5:2 diet: In this method, you can consume only 500–600 calories on two nonconsecutive days of the week, but eat normally on the other days. Beginners often find this method easier than the others.
• Water fasting: This type of fasting excludes everything except water. In some cases, detox drinks might be allowed.
• Dry fasting: This type of fasting does not allow the consumption of any food or liquid. It is the strictest plan among the fasting methods.

Learn more about 16:8 intermittent fasting.

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Potential Benefits of Fasting

Fasting can be beneficial to your health in certain ways. Potential health benefits include:

1) Improved insulin sensitivity

The benefits of fasting include improved insulin and leptin sensitivity. Insulin and leptin are hormones that play a crucial role in the regulation of metabolism. Leptin is also known as the hunger hormone, and insulin regulates glucose metabolism.

Learn the benefits and risks of water fasting.

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2) Lowered risk of cancer

Free radicals are oxidative molecules that are responsible for cellular damage and chronic inflammation. A study published in Nature Reviews Cancer found that all types of fasting can suppress the growth of cancer cells. However, further research is required to establish the potential effects in clinical cases.

Check out this beginner's guide to intermittent fasting.

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3) Detoxification

Fasting triggers autophagy, in which your body destroys old cells and proteins. It is a type of natural detoxification.

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4) Increases appetite

Fasting can improve your appetite and digestion. Taking a break from regular meals gives time for your gut to rejuvenate.

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5) Weight loss

Fasting can initiate weight loss by triggering the glucagon hormone responsible for the body's metabolism of fat molecules.

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Fasting Benefits by Hour

If you fast for 24 hours, the following benefits of fasting can be observed:

• First 4 - 8 Hours – Your blood glucose level starts to fall.
• At 12 Hours – All food in the digestive tract gets digested. Around 13 hours, your body initiates autophagy.
• 14 Hours – After the depletion of glucose reserves, nutritional ketosis is initiated by the body.
• 16 - 18 Hours – Fat burning and autophagy rate goes up significantly.
• 24 Hours – All reserves of glucose are now emptied and the body will start to rely on ketone bodies.

If you continue fasting after 24 hours, the benefits of fasting include detoxification by autophagy.

• 36 Hours - Autophagy goes up by 33% and removes cell debris.
• 48 Hours - Autophagy rate further goes up by 30%.
• 72 hours - Autophagy ceases to increase further and starts declining.

Learn more about the benefits and risks of dry fasting.

Benefits of fasting increase with the duration (Image via Unsplash/Insung Yoon)

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Bottom Line

The benefits of fasting include improved insulin sensitivity and the prevention of cancer. You can try out different methods of fasting to suit your needs. If you have any medical issues, consult your health professional before initiating any fasting method.