Wild fasting simulation shows what happens to your body when you don't eat for 36 hours

A mind-blowing simulation has revealed the extreme physical transformation your body undergoes during a 36-hour fast.

Intermittent fasting has exploded in popularity across social media as one of the latest trend-driven methods to shed unwanted weight.

However, abstaining from meals for prolonged periods remains a controversial approach, with medical experts routinely raising red flags over extreme restriction.

Now, a detailed visual animation has mapped out step-by-step what actually happens beneath the surface when you stop eating for a day and a half.

While these graphic medical simulations can be tough to watch, they offer an eye-opening breakdown of internal bodily processes.

The video—published by YouTube channel Wellness Wise—explains how the body rapidly shifts into fat-burning mode, driving weight loss while simultaneously triggering shocking internal changes within as little as four hours.

The video documents what happens to the body when we fast (Getty Stock Photo)

Experts warn of hidden danger

Despite its popularity, the practice isn't without significant risks.

Mental health and eating disorder organization The Emily Program has repeatedly warned about the lesser-known physical and psychological dangers of severe fasting regimens, urging caution for anyone considering prolonged food restriction.

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.