Benefits of fasting are uncountable. Defined as abstinence from all foods and drinks for a set period, fasting provides many health benefits, for example weight loss, blood sugar control, cardiac diseases (heart diseases), sexual weakness and diseases, infertility both among men and women, protection against cancer and neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, encephalopathy, meningitis, tinnitus, eyesight, deafness, depression, delirium, Parkinson’s disease, liver diseases, pancreatic diseases, improves immune system etc).
Despite its recent surge in popularity, fasting is a practice that dates back centuries and plays a central role in many cultures and religions. Generally, most fasts are performed over 10–13 hours.
Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, ranging from a few hours to a few days at a time, usually it’s two days a week with break between.
Fasting can have health benefits, such as increased weight loss and better brain function.
Benefits of Fasting
Detoxifying
Abstaining from all matter of solids and surviving on liquids for a few days is a great way to cleanse the body and detoxify, improving the function of organs whilst promoting a cleansed digestive system – improving blood circulation and getting rid of harmful toxins in the body.
Appetite Suppressant
Do you ever get that feeling of not being able to tell when you’re full? Or eating out of pure boredom? Fasting can help solve those problems. By structuring your day around everything apart from eating, your body eventually gets accustomed to not feeling hungry all the time. During the Holy month of Ramadan, many Muslims who are partaking in the obligatory fasts will experience many cravings during the fasting day, only to find that they are not able to consume much upon opening their fast. This is due to the fact that the less you put into your stomach over a length of time, the more the stomach shrinks – leading you to feel full after just a small amount of food.
As our bodies get accustomed to how often we eat, a few days of intermittent fasting can drastically decrease our appetite in the long run. Upon breaking the fast, the human body cannot consume a large amount comfortably as the stomach shrinks – leading you to feel satisfied after a smaller meal than usual. This process also increases the production of the thyroid hormone in the body, boosting your metabolism.
Metabolism
One of the more obvious results and benefits of fasting is alleviating obesity; fasting prompts the liver’s enzymes to break down cholesterol and fats to convert them into bile acid, which, in turn, converts to heat – ultimately stimulating faster metabolism. Naturally, fasting also decreases the appetite, which reduces the hunger hormone levels in the body. You may just find your portion sizes being significantly smaller following a period of fasting.
Weight Loss 
The term fasting means to refrain from food or drink or even both at the same time. When the human body is undergoing the starvation process, the body turns to fat in order to use and burn any stored energy first.
If done correctly, fasting can do wonders for weight loss – particularly for the loss of fatty tissues in the body, leading to better physical structure overall. Incorporating intermittent fasting into a regular resistance training regime will promote greater fat loss with quicker results.
A review found that intermittent fasting was more effective in inducing weight loss compared to continuous calorie restriction. In addition, other research has found that fasting may lead to greater reductions in body fat and belly fat compared to continuous calorie restriction.
Immune System
Partaking in fasting promotes healing in the human body as it applies core focus to its immune system and metabolism as opposed to focusing on digestion, further enhancing muscle growth in the process.
The immune system is largely comprised of white blood cells, and fasting encourages your body to recycle any old white blood cells, which results in a healthier, more robust immune system. Your body regenerates stem cells that consist of red and white blood cells along with your platelets once your body consumes food again.
Blood Pressure
A decrease in the body’s salt intake and loss of salt through urine lowers the body’s blood pressure.
Training
HGH, also known as Human Growth Hormone, is organically produced by the human body and is known to build muscle mass, which effectively burns fat. Although it remains active in your bloodstream for merely a few minutes, it can go a long way towards increasing lean muscle strength, which could be incredibly beneficial for training.
Many athletic professionals tend to use the fasting method in the lead-up to big games as it is key for burning fat whilst targeting and optimising muscle growth.
Improved Cardiovascular Function
Fasting can lead to a healthier heart, lowering cholesterol and promoting improved muscle performance along with enhanced blood vessel growth. Fasting has been associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and may help lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels.
Heart disease is considered the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 19 million deaths globally in 2020. Switching up your diet and lifestyle is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Some research has found that incorporating fasting into your routine may be especially beneficial for heart health. One review revealed that alternate-day fasting could reduce levels of total cholesterol and several risk factors for heart disease in people with overweight compared to a control group.
Another review showed that alternate-day fasting could significantly decrease blood pressure, as well as levels of blood triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Mental Health 
Benefits of fasting – it also goes a significantly long way towards balancing the mind and reducing mental stress. Fasting is also known to strengthen the mind, sharpen focus and provide mental clarity – this is primarily due to a reduction in calorie, white sugar, and processed foods and drinks specially artificial or manmade.
Blood Sugar
During the fasting process, glucose levels are stabilised, which can lead to the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Several studies have found that fasting may improve blood sugar control, which may be helpful for those at risk of developing diabetes.
A 2023 study of 209 people found intermittent fasting 3 days per week can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity.
Decreasing insulin resistance can increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing it to transport glucose from your bloodstream to your cells more efficiently.
Coupled with the potential blood sugar-lowering effects of fasting, this could help keep your blood sugar steady, preventing spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels.
A 2022 review of research notes that intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding may reduce risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, a group of five risk factors that increase the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
However, additional studies are still needed to compare the benefits of fasting with restricting calories.
Radiant Complexion/Anti-Ageing
About benefits of fasting, it is said that fasting could potentially slow down the ageing process, keeping you younger and fitter for longer, and it could also potentially increase lifespan. Fasting leads to the production of restored tissues and cells within the human body, degrading unnecessary cells in the process. This enables you to produce collagen, leading to healthier and more radiant skin.
One 2021 study analyzed the benefits of fasting of periodic fasting on the human gut and found that fasting increased the diversity of helpful bacteria in the gut microbiome, including the Christensenella species, which are related to longevity. The researchers also noted an increase in sirtuins, proteins involved in metabolic regulation that are also associated with longevity.
A 2021 review of older human and animal research has turned up similar findings, reporting that fasting could be effective in increasing longevity and delaying disease.
However, further studies are needed to understand how fasting may impact longevity and aging in humans and which fasting plans are most effective.
Healthier Brain and Cognitive Function
During the fasting process, blood in the human body is filled with more endorphins, which, in turn, gives you a feeling of well-being and great mental health. The overall effects of fasting have a similar impact on the brain as physical exercise would.
Promotes better health by fighting inflammation 
While acute inflammation is a natural immune process used to help fight off infections, chronic inflammation can seriously affect your health.
Research shows that inflammation may be involved in the development of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. Some studies have found that fasting can help decrease levels of inflammation and promote better health.
One 2022 review of 18 studies found that intermittent fasting could significantly reduce levels of C-reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation especially of heart ♥.
A small study discovered that practicing intermittent fasting for 1 year was more effective at decreasing levels of inflammation and reducing certain risk factors for heart disease compared to a control group.
Boost brain function and prevent neurodegenerative disorders
Several studies have found that fasting could have a powerful effect on brain health.
Studies from 2018 and 2021 have reported that fasting could protect brain health and increase the generation of nerve cells to help enhance cognitive function. Studies show that fasting could improve brain function, increase nerve cell synthesis, and protect against neurodegenerative conditions
Because fasting may also help relieve inflammation, it could also aid in preventing neurodegenerative disorders.
In particular, studies suggest that fasting protects against and improve outcomes for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.
However, more studies are needed to evaluate the effects of fasting on brain function in humans.
Increases growth hormone secretion, which is vital for growth, metabolism, weight loss, and muscle strength
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a protein hormone central to many aspects of your health. Research shows that this key hormone is involved in metabolism, weight loss, and muscle growth. Studies show that fasting can increase levels of human growth hormone (HGH), an important protein hormone that plays a role in growth, metabolism, weight loss, and muscle strength. Fasting could naturally increase HGH levels.
One review article noted that fasting can increase basal HGH concentrations by as much as ten times and also reduces the metabolic rate at which the body clears HGH.
May aid in cancer prevention and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy 
A review published in the American Cancer Society Journal notes that benefits of fasting or intermittent fasting may benefit the treatment and prevention of cancer in some situations. It may decrease tumor growth and toxicity from chemotherapy in some people.
But they note that more high quality clinical trials are needed and recommend that people undergoing cancer treatment only do intermittent fasting as part of a clinical trial. For some situations and types of cancer, it could potentially have a negative effect.
Another review of test tube and animal suggests that fasting could reduce tumor progression and increase chemo therapy’s effectiveness.
Despite these promising findings, additional studies are needed to look at how fasting may influence cancer development and treatment in humans.
Safety and side effects
Fasting may not be suitable for everyone and may cause side effects. For example, if you have diabetes, fasting can lead to spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels, which could be dangerous. Additionally, fasting is not generally recommended without medical supervision for older adults, adolescents, people with underweight, or people undergoing cancer treatment.
Benefits of Fasting in Islam
As fasting forms one of the five key pillars of Islam, fasting during the month of Ramadan is obligatory for all able Muslims.
However, should you wish to incorporate any other types of fasting at any other time of the year, it is important to remember to plan your fasting structure well. Be realistic about what you wish to achieve and always ensure that you are in the right mental and physical mindset to be able to reap the full benefits of fasting. Always ensure you get adequate sleep and ensure your stress levels are low.
Remember, it is forbidden to fast on the day of Eid ul-Fitr, which is one of the two vital celebrations in Islam and follows the Holy month of Ramadan.
It is held that there are specific benefits of fasting in Islam. Fasting brings spiritual reward (thawab) since it is a pious act that refrains from personal satisfaction and pleasure. These spiritual rewards are multiplied when fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and Muslims use the periods of fasting during this time to study the Qur’an, pray, and spiritually reflect.
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