By Carol Vella – Nutritionist

Fasting can be broken down into two forms: Regular fasting which is the restriction of food during a set period, and dry fasting, where no foods or liquids are consumed for a set period.

Regular fasting

This is the most common form of fasting that many people are aware of, and this form of food restriction has become widely popular due to the media exposure it receives, especially with the assistance of social media influencers.

Intermittent fasting is the abstinence of food for a period of hours over the day. One example would be 16:8 where food is consumed in an 8-hour window, for example from 12.00pm – 8.00pm and fasting occurs for the 16-hour period. Studies have been conducted, demonstrating the benefits of fasting on insulin sensitivity, weight loss, high blood pressure and other health biomarkers, (Collier, 2013).

During a regular fast where food is restricted, cells are placed under a mild form of stress, and it is hypothesised that it is the cells’ reaction to this stress which assists in cells ability to respond to stress positively and resist disease states as they become more resilient, (Collier, 2013).

Th withdrawal from food for 12-16 hours results in the body dipping into its fat stores for energy. Ketones are then produced which are fatty acids. This release of ketones has been demonstrated to slow disease processes in the brain.

Dry fasting

The second form of fasting is known as dry fasting. This form of fasting is not as popular or widely used as regular fasting. However, the main difference between regular fasting and dry fasting is the avoidance of fluids. Dry fasting is abstaining from food and all forms of liquid including water. Certain religions use dry fasting for periods of religious times such as the Ramadan in the Muslim religion. It is also common to be instructed to do dry fasting before surgical medical procedures.

There has not been a lot of research conducted on whether there are any benefits to dry fasting although one study did conduct research which demonstrated that improvements in metabolic risk factors can be achieved with a period of 4 weeks of dawn to dusk dry fasting. (Mindikoglu, 2022). These benefits help to improve metabolic syndrome which is made up of health issues such as high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, abdominal obesity, and a high fasting glucose level.

Dry fasting may be dangerous and can lead to dehydration and kidney problems. Different conditions need to be considered. Summer which can cause dehydration even under normal conditions is not an ideal time to consider doing a dry fast as the conditions may be dangerous with severe dehydration.

For optimal health, hydration is key. It is required for your mind and body to function adequately. Drinking sufficient water and maintaining a good balance of electrolytes helps cells to communicate to each other efficiently and maintain homeostasis. Adequate sodium intake ensures hydration is kept optimal and it is the first thing that gets depleted when a person is dehydrated. Dry fasting can amplify these issues of dehydration.

If you want to consider doing a dry fast it is a good idea to check with your doctor, who can determine if this will be safe to do, as it may not be recommended for some people with chronic health conditions.

References:

Collier R. Intermittent fasting: the science of going without. CMAJ. 2013 Jun 11;185(9):E363-4. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.109-4451. Epub 2013 Apr 8. PMID: 23569168; PMCID: PMC3680567.

Mindikoglu AL, Park J, Opekun AR, Abdulsada MM, Wilhelm ZR, Jalal PK, Devaraj S, Jung SY. Dawn-to-dusk dry fasting induces anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic proteome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Metabol Open. 2022 Nov 1;16:100214. doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2022.100214. PMID: 36506940; PMCID: PMC9731888.