As you may suspect, an aspiration to lose weight is a huge reason people try water fasting. “People are tired of battling with their weight and are looking for the next best weight loss tool, which is one reason water fasting has become so hot,” says Kristen Smith, RD, an Atlanta-based spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Some people may even do it in hopes of treating health conditions, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, all of which can involve excess weight, Smith adds. And of course, other people may do a water fast for religious reasons or prior to a medical test such as a colonoscopy. (1,2)
Water fasts are a buzzy topic in the holistic health world, but let’s get one thing out of the way: Despite whatever you’ve read online suggesting otherwise, there’s a lack of rigorous scientific evidence to support using this approach for weight loss, disease management, and the like. In fact, water fasts may pose serious health risks to certain people.
Taking a break from eating, however, can lower your blood pressure, according to one study. In that study, 174 people with high blood pressure underwent a water fast for 10 to 11 days on average, and by the end of that period, about 90 percent of participants had lowered their blood pressure to normal levels. (3)
Whether it’s the fasting approach or simply not eating that’s behind that benefit is unclear. But Goldhamer, who coauthored the study, offers a theory for why: “With these diseases, people are either taking in more calories than they should, especially from animal fat and protein or refined carbohydrates, and they’re eating food that’s toxic,” he says. By fasting, though, he says you’re giving your body a chance to eliminate toxic by-products.
It’s true that the World Health Organization has labeled red meat — and particularly processed red meat, such as hot dogs and bacon — as a carcinogen that contributes to cancer risk. (4) And a wealth of research has linked eating red meat with a higher risk for hypertension, which, along with high cholesterol and being overweight, is a risk factor for heart disease. (5,6)
Although more research is needed, another potential benefit of water fasting may be a reduction in oxidative stress, which, according to an article published in 2017, is a phenomenon that contributes to various chronic diseases. (7) In fact, a small study published in 2018 found that participants saw a reduction in blood pressure, body weight, and oxidative stress following 11 days of water fasting. (8)
What’s unclear is whether those effects are long-lasting. But any level of stress can age you, says Taz Bhatia, MD, a holistic doctor in Atlanta. Consequently, you may notice excessive fatigue, brain fog, wrinkles, gray hair, poor eyesight, headaches, sensitivity to noise, and muscle and joint pain, she says.
Read the full article here