What happens to our organs when we fast for a week? This is the question that European and British researchers have tried to answer.
The benefits of fasting are the subject of much speculation. Not only because some studies are contradictory, but also because science does not fully understand what is actually happening when the body is forced to adapt to starvation. Whether it’s abstaining from food for a specific number of days (intermittent fasting) or abstaining from food for just a few hours a day (intermittent fasting), research has shown many potential benefits, from weight loss to diabetes control. to actions on blood pressure, Alzheimer’s and cancer cells. Even if science is weighing on the subject, scientists agree on one point: fasting outweighs the disadvantages, in addition to the benefits that can be attributed to it. It can be dangerous.
Benefit after three days
A new study confirms the need for medical supervision when practicing prolonged fasting. European and British researchers followed a small group of fasting people (12 people, including five women and seven men). Abstain from food for 7 days. Blood samples were taken before, during and after fasting to assess the effect of fasting on major organs. They then analyzed the participants’ blood to detect changes in protein production, and therefore the benefits for general health.
The research has been published in the journal Metabolism of nature suggesting that prior to the first three days of fasting, the benefits of fasting were limited to calorie loss (which did not prevent subsequent weight gain). It just isThree days later, a longer period of time than suggested by other studies, that more interesting results emerged. On this small group, the Beneficial effects on cardiovascular healthor the Reduce inflammation Associated with rheumatoid arthritis, it came from the time. And at the end of seven days of fasting, from a few 3,000 protein measured in blood, the third presented “Profound systemic changes”.
Does it matter?
“For the first time, we can see what happens at the molecular level throughout the body when we fast”Claudia Langenberg, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London and co-author of the study, explained in a press release. “Our results prove the health benefits of fasting beyond weight loss”, she adds. But, there is a but”. Because there are three days, or a week A lot of time is spent in calorie deprivationwhich introduces Serious risks For the body when you are not well supported. As a reminder, there are major risks to fasting Dehydration (about 20% of our normal fluid intake comes from food), hyponatremia or salt depletion, and essential nutrient deficiencies. deprivation Stress Even organisms. Is it worth it for the results achieved? Researchers don’t go that far. The cohort studied is also too small for the results to be representative of the overall population. It is recommended to consult a health professional before starting a prolonged fasting procedure.
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