Mind-blowing simulation shows extreme impact that fasting for 36 hours has on your body
A mind-blowing simulation has detailed the extreme impact that fasting for 36 hours can have on your body.
You've probably seen intermittent fasting as one of several social media trends to have taken off as a method to shed the pounds.
Giving up meals is certainly a more extreme way to lose weight, with doctors often speaking about the dangers of an extreme way to diet.
As well as the warnings from healthcare professionals, a simulation video has also documented the impact fasting for such a period of time can do to your body.
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These simulation videos can certainly be a little graphic, but they do provide a pretty good indication of what is going on.
One particular video posted by the Wellness Wise channel on YouTube explained how the body burns fat after a few hours, ultimately ensuring a person loses weight.
It also highlighted that in just four hours of not eating, your body can go through some shocking changes.
The diet and mental health service The Emily Program reported on the less spoken about dangers of intermittent fasting.
While weight loss can be achieved through fasting, the service points out that, just like with any restrictive diet, there can be typical side effects.
While severity may vary and it may not apply to all who try intermittent fasting, these are some of the typical negative side effects.
- Excessive hunger pangs
- Fatigue and low energy
- Headaches (ranging from mild to severe)
- Dizziness
- Digestive issues (e.g., constipation and bloating)
- Irritability and other mood changes
- Bad breath
- Sleep disturbances
- Dehydration
- Polyuria (excessive urination)
- Potential impacts on reproductive health
- Nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition
The page also noted that there isn't an extensive amount of data regarding intermittent fasting.
The Emily Program stated: "Current human research is very limited in size and duration, in part because this diet fad is not sustainable.
"In fact, many people are unable to complete intermittent fasting trials, as demonstrated by the high drop-out rate of intermittent fasting weight loss studies.”
James Betts, a professor of metabolic physiology at the University of Bath, echoed a similar statement, despite the many people who swear by it.
Speaking to the Guardian, he said: “There [are] a lot of proposed benefits to [running on fats]. But a lot of the research hasn’t really [been borne out in] human beings. So we don’t see dramatic health benefits, certainly in the short term.”
The Emily Programme also noted that there was a concerning trend of participants having a heightened risk of developing or exacerbating an eating disorder.
The page clarified that while intermittent fasting is not itself an eating disorder, the habit of ignoring hunger cues can help create a disordered relationship with food.
Topics: Weight loss, Health
Callum Jones