Water Fasting: Benefits and Risk Factors

Water fasting is an extreme fasting method where people only consume water for 24 to 72 hours. This fasting type has several fantastic health benefits, including legitimate weight loss. However, water fasting also comes with some risk factors. Recently, this fasting practice has gained much popularity. That’s why one must know the benefits and risk factors to understand it properly. Here are some of the most crucial benefits and risks to make you fully aware while performing water fasting.

Benefits of Water Fasting

There are many health benefits of water fasting if done in a correct way. Some of them are mentioned below.

Lowers Blood Pressure

As per some studies, water fasting has the benefit of reducing high blood pressure. It keeps it at a moderate level by lowering systolic blood pressure as well. During the fasting period, long lasting inflammation decreases, which enhances better health. In other words, water fasting is good for preventing heart disease.

Improve Insulin Resistance

Water fasting is best for people with diabetic symptoms because it helps to limit the blood sugar by mitigating insulin resistance. Due to this fast, insulin and leptin sensitivity gets enhanced. This eventually helps the body cut down blood sugar. It prevents any sudden spike and fall of the sugar level. Thus, it also lowers the risk factors regarding type 2 diabetes. 

Weight Loss

During the water fast, since you are not taking any calories, the body enters ketosis. This is a metabolic phase where the body uses the fat as its energy source and burns more fat. Thus, the weight gets reduced very fast. Furthermore, water fasting improves the metabolic system, which boasts the weight loss journey. 

Promotes Autophagy

Water fasting promotes autophagy, a process where the old cells get destroyed and are replaced by new cells. This is a recycling process of cells. It slows down aging, prevents cancer cell growth, and protects from Alzheimer’s disease and several other metabolic diseases. 

Improves Cognitive Function

Water fasting boosts brain health, thereby enhancing cognitive function. Due to this fast, the inflammation improves which prevents various neurodegenerative diseases. During the fasting phase, BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor production increases, improving learning and remembering. Thus, the memory cells also get healthy.

Risk Factors of Water Fasting

Water fasting comes with several risk factors if not done correctly. That’s why you need to know the signs to stop water fasting. Even after following the dos and don’ts, several health issues may arise.  

Nausea and Vomiting

Many people feel nausea and Vomiting during the water fast. Your stomach’s acid reflux is the reason behind this sign. Even though you are mentally enduring your hunger, physically, your stomach is not getting anything to eat. And when there’s no solid food to store into, the stomach gets empty and starts producing needless amounts of acid. 

Dizziness and Loss of Consciousness

Two common symptoms of water fasting are dizziness and loss of consciousness. Due to not having any food, the blood pressure, electrolytes, and insulin levels get low. That’s why you will experience dizziness, blurred vision and eventually faint. Furthermore, you are not getting the necessary vitamins and minerals for your body. This is another reason for losing your consciousness. 

Burning Stomach Pain

Due to being empty, the stomach produces acid, and that acid reflux may cause ulcers and a burning sensation. This is one of the risk factors and signs to stop water fasting immediately. It may also damage your intestine walls, which can cause pain. Furthermore, when you drink excessive water, the stomach gets expanded to hold onto that fluid. Doing this for 24 to 72 hours may stretch the stomach to the point of discomfort. 

Diarrhea or Constipation

Diarrhea is uncommon during water fasting since the person is not taking any food. However, in water fasting, diarrhea can sometimes result due to excessive secretion of salt and water in the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, due to zero fiber intake, people may experience constipation as well. Extreme constipation may result in rectum problems as well.

Menstrual Irregularities

Menstrual problems are a severe sign for women to stop the water fast. While water fasting, your body is under stress and anxiety for various reasons. That’s when your hormones get imbalanced, and if the secretion of progesterone gets messed up, you face several menstrual problems. This disruption in your menstrual cycle due to water fasting is dangerous, if not treated.

Conclusion

Water fasting can give you excellent beneficial results, but people must perform it with full awareness, considering all the risk factors. It would be best to track how the body reacts to this fast. Getting the benefits is definitely good, but prioritizing the risk factors is also necessary. Hence, along with a healthy lifestyle, mental health, and a healthy post-fast diet, you will get fit and fine.