The original paper:
<a href="http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909%2814%2900151-9" rel="nofollow">http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909%2814%...</a>
Tim Ferriss has poked at the positive effects of intermittent fasting on cancer/health/longevity a bit. I found this interview with Dominic D'Agostino very informative: <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/11/03/dominic-dagostino/" rel="nofollow">http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/11/03/dominic-dagostino/</a><p>Also: <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/2008/03/02/postponing-death-caloric-restriction-vs-intermittent-fasting-part-1/" rel="nofollow">http://fourhourworkweek.com/2008/03/02/postponing-death-calo...</a>
In my own experience day 3 of a water fast had profound effect on my health. I have some health issues so I closely monitor my blood pressure and blood sugar. On the morning of the fourth day my blood pressure and blood sugar would drop tremendously and stay normal for several months. ymmv
I tried searching for the original article, but this is the closest I could find that had a better writeup than from the telegraph: <a href="https://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration-of-damaged-old-immune-system/" rel="nofollow">https://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regene...</a><p>This is the most relevant summary: "In both mice and a Phase 1 human clinical trial involving patients receiving chemotherapy, long periods of not eating significantly lowered white blood cell counts. In mice, fasting cycles then “flipped a regenerative switch,” changing the signaling pathways for hematopoietic stem cells, which are responsible for the generation of blood and immune systems, the research showed."<p>So, mice, and people undergoing chemotherapy. Not exactly (for those who have had friends and relatives ever had to undergo chemotherapy, you will understand what I mean) the common population.<p>I'll pass on this intermittent fasting "fad" for now!
If I were to fast for that long, should I ingest anything other than water?
Some vitamin supplements for example? Or maybe a bit of salt?
Or is it really only water?
Last weekend I did a 60 hour fast, part of my motivation was research like this.<p>What I discovered after and into this week is that my self-control has increased dramatically.
Although I haven't attempted this myself, I have seen many people attempt to endure a 72 hours fast (as part of diagnosing a potential pheochromocytoma) and the majority experience this as extremely difficult.<p>I wonder if multiple shorter fasts — e.g., a 24 hours fast once a week — could be as beneficial.
The "Body Positivity" movement that encourages people, especially young woman, to be obese or overweight, and tries to criminalize images of slender people in advertising may be the most unhealthy political movement there is.<p>Obesity kills 300,000 people in the U.S. each year, and with the exception of several hundred people suffering with psychological disorders who manage to starve themselves each year, being slender or even a bit "underweight" has no negative health effects and may have some positive ones.
Do they literally mean zero intake of calories for 72 hours? That sounds like a long time. How do you prepare for that nutrition wise and mentally?<p>People eat at night during the ramadan.
The most shocking thing (when I fasted for 5 days) occurred when I broke the fast. I broke it with 4 ounces of liquid (50% watermelon (straight from the fruit) + 50% water), only to have it come right back out 15-30 minutes later-- just as red as it was when it went it. It was mind boggling. I suppose I had gone my entire life thinking what comes out was always supposed to be brown, but when I looked in the toilet, all I saw was red. I couldn't believe it.<p>Also, I'm not dead. And lucky enough for me, I wasn't very toxic, so I easily went 5 days on nothing but water.
I fasted for a day when fighting with my parents. Worst thing to do since I am a Type-1 diabetic and ended up with Diabetic Ketoacidosis the next day and a near-death experience :-(<p>Fasting is not for everyone!
I know Valter Longo, one of the paper's authors.<p>Valter created a company, L-Nutra (<a href="http://www.l-nutra.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.l-nutra.com/</a>), and donated his shares to a foundation to avoid any conflict of interest.<p>I have tried their product, Pro-Lon, twice, and I have been very pleased with the results.<p>Feel free to ask me anything if you're interested in learning more.
It is interesting that fasting and dietary restrictions are part of many popular religions. Perhaps some discovered these benefits and codified them as scriptures.
> When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged<p>That's remarkable news. I'm waiting to see the counter-arguments though. Fasting for 3 days seems like stretching the limits a bit. Also it seems to imply that these 3days periods are repeatable over the course of a few months.
Well, Islam gave the concept of <i>3 days fasting</i> every month 1500 years ago and called "Ayyam Beez" and many Muslims have been practising it in every generation.<p>Glad to know that science also discovered it.
re: "People are better eating on a regular basis.”<p>Well, that depends on what you're eating. One can't help but wonder if the reaction is not because of fasting per se, but because toxins are not be introduced into the body on a regular basis.
For ages various alt-medical practitioners have been mentioning fasting as a positive. But "the real science" has denied its value. Not, "Oh, we're not sure." But, "Oh. No way. That can't be." Will Med Science now come out and say, "Oh, we're sorry. Looks like y'all were right all along."? (Hit: No never.)<p>Instead they'll spin it as, "Look what we found..." And people wonder why many of us don't trust Big Science, Big Med, Big Pharma, etc. Ha. They're assholes. That's why.<p>Makes ya wonder, when occasional we hear about some "miracle" recovery if that person didn't accidentally fast from being too ill to eat, and that actually kicked started curing them. It wasn't the meds. It was the fasting. How many meds and med studies were skewed because this wasn't factored in?