Fasting is a
state caused by insufficient intake of substances necessary to maintain the body's
self-regulation. At the same time, there is the so-called "therapeutic
fasting", which is practiced by supporters of alternative medicine. They
voluntarily refuse food and water for a period of time, claiming that in this
way the body is purified and becomes healthier. Traditional medicine does not
support these practices.
However, during
fasting, the person apparently loses weight. At HelthyFit we decided to find
out what dangers this process entails and whether it is really possible to get
a wasp waist thanks to starving yourself.
What Happens
to The Body During Fasting?
We analyzed the
situation when a person goes hungry for a not too long time and this cannot
have a lethal outcome. What happens?
During the
first 2 days, the body uses all the glycogen stores available in the muscles
and liver. These are the carbohydrate reserves that provide the body with quick
energy.
Between the
third and fourth day, the ketosis process begins. This is the time when the
body begins to burn stored fat for energy. For a while, the feeling of hunger
decreases, the blood sugar level drops. But then, you will feel hungry again
and the sugar may drop to critical levels. In this case, the metabolism slows
down and the hormonal balance may be disturbed.
If you refuse
not only food, but also water, all these processes will move faster. But such
behavior can trigger dehydration, which will lead to too low blood pressure.
It is necessary
to get out of this state gradually, starting with liquid food.
Benefits
and Harms
The most
obvious benefit of fasting is rapid weight loss. But here we cannot avoid
having implicit drawbacks, which we will discuss later.
All the other
advantages, which you might have heard already, are not confirmed by science.
Yes, sometimes fasting helps to alleviate symptoms of diseases. For example,
experts managed to relieve 7 out of 10 irritable bowel symptoms through
fasting. But these are specific cases and it would be a mistake to extend them
to all.
The
disadvantages of this fasting "diet" are much greater:
- The risk of the emergence of problems with the heart in children, whose mothers during pregnancy were starving or poorly nourished.
- Changes in the woman's menstrual cycle
- Constipation
- Bone fragility
- Slowed metabolism
- Avitaminosis if prolonged fasting is practiced, leading to flaking of the skin, hair loss, brittle nails and the like.
- Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are exacerbated.
Does Fasting
Help to Lose Weight?
Most experts
agree that fasting is an unhealthy tool for weight loss. Because in this way,
what is lost quickly is liquid, but not fat.
Fasting helps
to easily get rid of a couple of extra kilos, but as soon as a person returns
to normal eating, the kilos will also return. Meanwhile, the problems with
being overweight can only get worse. Indeed, fasting slows down the metabolism
(as the body tries to save energy in this way), which then may not return to
normal.
Fasting for 1-2
days will not do much harm if you are healthy. But people who already have
problems with their kidneys or liver can only aggravate them. Therefore,
experts do not recommend fasting without consulting a doctor.
The best way to lose weight is calorie deficits. Nutritionists recommend consuming fewer calories than you expend. Yes, it is not so fast, but it is effective and not harmful to health.
When Fasting
Is Really Necessary?
Despite the
adverse effects of fasting, in some cases it is even indicated. Usually, people
have to temporarily give up food before surgical interventions and different
analytical procedures. In these cases, fasting is a necessary measure. However,
mostly it does not last for a long time.
If you still
wish to temporarily abstain from food, be sure to consult with your doctor and
make sure that this practice does not cause serious damage to your health.
Have you ever practiced fasting and have you achieved the desired result?