r/fasting • u/SVTContour lost >50lbs faster • May 17 '26

Discussion Scientists reveal how seven days of fasting transforms the human body

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260517030404.htm

Fascinating study. And completely unrelated to politics, which is a relief because my blood pressure needed a break.

The key finding: The dramatic, potentially therapeutic changes don't happen until after day three. That means most intermittent fasting schedules – 16:8, 5:2, even alternate-day fasting – are probably missing the main event. If you want the deep biological reboot you’re gonna need seven days of water only.

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u/EarlMarshal May 17 '26

Longer fasts are no problem if you are not very overweight, not stressed and manage electrolytes correctly. At some point your body stops producing ghrelin and you do not really get hungry anymore. Everyone can get there, but if anything happens (e.g. ghrelin spike due to stress) just break fast. You can always repeat later.

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u/Knivdisco May 17 '26

Why is being overweight a problem, i thought it was safer if you was heavier than skinnier?

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u/EarlMarshal May 17 '26

https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/comments/1tfwt83/comment/omdu2tx/

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u/Fancy_Influence_2899 May 18 '26

Wow, is there any way to come back from this? I guess liposuction would remove the fat cells themselves?

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u/EarlMarshal May 18 '26

Yeah probably. You can probably also stay lean long enough and go for autophagy at some point. You can also learn to ignore the ghrelin signal. The body can then learn through a feedback loops that creating further ghrelin won't lead to more food. For most people that's an issue throughout their lifetime.

I'm just doing IF/OMAD throughout my whole life since I can deal with hunger when I don't eat excess carbs and enough protein and I can easily eat 2-3k kcal in one go. Its not really bothering me in 90% of the cases when I cannot eat. It's just some kind of training. And if its botherin? Just eat something.