Following a seven-day fast, a study reveals significant alterations in many bodily organs

According to a recent study that was published in the journal Nature Metabolism, prolonged fasting causes significant and organized alterations in the human body’s many organs.

Scientists from Queen Mary University of London and the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences conducted the research, which suggests potential therapeutic uses for those unable to endure extended fasting or diets imitating fasting and underlines health advantages beyond simple weight reduction.

Maik Pietzner, a professor at Queen Mary University, highlights the long-standing belief that fasting is effective in curing certain ailments. “Our research has given rise to some ancient wisdom on the reasons why fasting is prescribed for certain ailments. Fasting isn’t always an option for individuals who are ill, even if it could be helpful in treating certain ailments, according to Maik Pietzner.

Twelve people in good health participated in a seven-day water-only fast for the purpose of this research. Researchers kept a careful eye on daily variations in over 3,000 blood proteins throughout the fast.

The body switched from using glucose as its energy source to stored fat during the first two to three days. Participants lost 5.7 kg of lean mass and fat on average. It’s interesting to see that fat loss continued while lean mass gained weight after the fast.

Director Claudia Langenberg of the Precision Health University Research Institute at Queen Mary’s emphasizes the value of fasting as a weight reduction tactic and its potential health advantages above and beyond weight loss. When carried out properly, fasting is a useful weight-loss strategy. Popular fasting-based regimens, such as intermittent fasting, assert health advantages beyond just helping people lose weight, the source added.

The results highlight the wider health benefits of fasting, even if these benefits take longer to manifest than previously thought—they take effect only after three days of stringent calorie restriction.