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In the USA, especially in Silicon Valley, many people are into fasting, which is also called intermittent fasting. Heads of IT companies and their employees believe that periodically abstaining from food for several days can take their productivity to a new level and even extend their life. Meduza tried to understand what intermittent fasting is, whether there is any scientific basis for it, and whether it is harmful.
New trend in self-improvement
Western media started writing about the popularity of fasting in Silicon Valley among the leaders and employees of IT companies actively in the autumn of 2017. Yevgenia Kuyda, the founder of startups Luka and Replika, who has been living and working in California since 2015, also mentioned this in an interview. “I am the main cliche of Silicon Valley,” Kuyda told Tatler magazine, stating that she has a meditation teacher, a psychotherapist, a healer, a personal surf trainer, and a gym trainer. She fasts and eats acai bowls in the morning.
According to Kuida, “everyone has gone crazy about intermittent fasting” in San Francisco – the alternating cycles of when a person eats as usual and when they completely refrain from food. Kuida states that all her acquaintances have the Zero app, which is “a timer to count how long you don’t eat.” The Guardian newspaper confirms this trend as well, stating that fasting has become “a new trend in self-improvement” following the popularity of meditation and mindfulness.
This is what an acai bowl looks like: something like a thick smoothie (i.e. ground berries, fruits, and other ingredients).
Promoters of fasting
Many religions practice dietary restrictions, including complete abstinence from food, making fasting an ancient tradition. Although alternative medicine advocate Paul Bragg popularized fasting in the 20th century, his lack of medical education and untrue claims about himself undermined his credibility. For instance, he exaggerated his age by 14 years to showcase his youthfulness and claimed to have participated in the Olympics twice. Bragg promoted the idea that following his advice could enable one to live up to 120 years old, but he died from a heart attack at 81.
In 2014, the popularity of fasting resurged after celebrities such as actresses Miranda Kerr and Jennifer Aniston developed a keen interest in it, according to The Independent. The previous year saw the publication of “The Fast Diet,” written by Michael Mosley, a British television journalist and popular science programs author, in collaboration with journalist Mimi Spencer. The book, which promised to provide insights on how to lose weight, be healthy, and live longer, became a bestseller. It promoted the “5:2” diet, one of the primary intermittent fasting plans, which involves eating normally for five days and consuming significantly fewer calories (up to 500 per day) on the other two days.
Furthermore, in 2014, Mark Mattson, a scientist and head of the neurosciences laboratory at the US National Institute on Aging, as well as a professor of neurobiology at John Hopkins School of Medicine, delivered a TED talk on the benefits of fasting. Mattson’s research on animals demonstrated that intermittent fasting has a positive impact on the body and brain, such as reducing blood pressure and enhancing memory.
The interest in fasting increased significantly following the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Japanese molecular biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi in 2016. Ohsumi researched autophagy, the process of “self-eating,” where the body utilizes its cellular resources for energy, especially during fasting.
Biohackers from Silicon Valley
IT specialists from Silicon Valley, who are passionate about biohacking, have embraced the notion of fasting’s potential health benefits. Biohacking is an attempt to enhance the body’s abilities and prolong life through various practices, from controlling physiological indicators to taking medications. The head of the biohacking company HVMN, Jeffrey Woo, and Phil Libin, the co-founder of Evernote, CEO of the venture fund All Turtles, and an investor in Eugenia Kuyda’s startup Replika, are among the movement’s primary supporters.
According to The Guardian, in an interview, Libin acknowledged that the first day of fasting was challenging, and he craved food so intensely that he believed he would die. On the second day, he felt completely exhausted, but by the third day, he felt better than he had in the last two decades. He believes that fasting can extend life by 40 years. Similarly, Wu believes that fasting is a great way to counteract the aggressive culture of consumption, which constantly pressures individuals to eat.
In early 2017, Wu and members of the WeFast community, which includes thousands of people, mainly 20-30-year-old developers from Silicon Valley, undertook a seven-day “fast” to advocate intermittent fasting.
Is it really useful?
Many startups are now based on the belief that fasting can enhance the quality of life, increase longevity, and prevent severe diseases such as diabetes and cancer. ProLon is one such startup that proposes a five-day dietary program as an alternative to strict fasting.
Despite the positive results of fasting on laboratory animals, the benefits of fasting for humans are not proven. Although there are some studies on humans, they are of lower quality, and no conclusive evidence has been derived from scientific papers.
Moreover, some eating disorder experts believe that an obsession with fasting can lead to an unhealthy fixation on food and may even be a disguise for the need to control one’s food intake. “An excessive tendency to track one’s indicators and food intake becomes the norm, so it is difficult to understand when it turns into obsession,” warns eating disorder specialist Shrayn Bakhrani.
Increase in strength and clarity of thought
HVMN, a biohacking company, announced on November 6 that they had started taking orders for their newly developed energy drink, Ketone. The drink is considered a “super fuel” for athletes as it supposedly contains only ketones, which are produced by the liver during fasting and act as a source of energy. Ketone’s creators claim that the drink can change metabolism and enhance physical abilities, concentration, and strength. The first deliveries of the drink were expected to be made in December 2017. According to those who have tried Ketone, the drink smells like nail polish remover, but it gave them an incredible boost of positive energy, making them feel more productive, and they worked tirelessly until late in the evening without realizing the passing of time. However, such claims have not been scientifically proven.
The creators of the drink claim that it rapidly induces the body into a state of ketosis, which is caused by a high concentration of ketone bodies. However, some dieticians doubt this claim and argue that simply consuming a drink cannot induce this state. Typically, one can achieve ketosis through fasting or following a special low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet (also known as the keto diet). In both cases, the body is unable to use glucose for energy production and begins to rely on ketone bodies instead. According to Jeffrey Wu, ketone bodies are “super fuel for the brain” and increase their concentration in the body leads to “clarity of thought” and an “influx of energy” during fasting.
How exactly does ketosis affect one’s well-being?
After 12-14 hours of fasting, the number of ketone bodies in the body does increase and continues to gradually increase, but then usually stabilizes at a level not dangerous to health (this is ketosis). Supporters of the keto diet try to maintain this state by following a dietary regimen for weeks or even months. For example, a Business Insider journalist followed a keto diet for two months as an editorial assignment and says she felt stronger, smarter, and more confident than ever before. Although the state of ketosis can cause discomfort such as nausea, headache, fatigue, and bad breath.
There is no reliable scientific evidence confirming that ketosis can affect the functioning of the brain in healthy individuals, even though the keto diet is used to treat epilepsy under the supervision of a doctor. Moreover, it is not entirely clear to what extent ketone bodies influence the results.
Additionally, the levels of ketone bodies increase not only when a person fasts or consumes few carbohydrates, but also when they excessively abuse alcohol or do not manage their diabetes. At times, the level of ketone bodies can rise higher than an acceptable level (including in healthy individuals). In such cases, a serious condition called ketoacidosis can occur, which sometimes leads to coma and death.
Fasting and weight loss
Although modern fasting adepts do not fast for the sole purpose of weight loss, they still report losing weight. Jeffrey Wu, for instance, claimed to have lost five kilograms after a week of fasting. However, maintaining the results obtained through intermittent fasting, like any diet, can be challenging. Furthermore, there is limited data confirming the effectiveness of fasting and other diets. Therefore, those who opt for such a diet should follow a plan developed by a specialist, according to the British Dietetic Association, to avoid nutrient deficiencies.
If an individual’s body mass index falls within the normal range, a slight reduction in calories should not negatively affect their health. This is because they are most likely consuming more calories than their body requires, which can lead to gradual weight gain. However, Elena Motova, a nutritionist, believes that it’s better to develop the habit of not overeating rather than reducing calories. According to Motova, this is an easier habit to develop, and it’s physiologically reasonable. She is hesitant to recommend the “5:2” diet to everyone until more studies support its effectiveness.
While more intense hunger can lead to significant weight loss initially, people often gain back the weight with the same ease. This is due to a slower metabolism resulting from changes in their diet, and their body’s increased storage of calories. Nutritionists do not recommend this type of diet, particularly since it can cause various unpleasant side effects such as hair loss, headaches, constipation, or diarrhea.
Is it harmful to starve or not?
Short-term fasting, usually lasting one or two days, is generally safe and not harmful. For instance, Jeffrey Wu fasts for 36 hours once a week and also for three days once every three months. This has helped him understand his hunger and control his satiety better. However, fasting for several days or weeks can be dangerous. It can cause the breakdown of internal organs and muscles, deficiencies in essential vitamins, and exhaustion. Additionally, fasting is not recommended for individuals with eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia) or predisposition to such conditions, pregnant women, and those with frequent diabetes. For some people, fasting can trigger migraine attacks. Furthermore, it’s important to remember that fasting doesn’t go well with physical exertion, which is crucial for overall health.
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