What if I abstained from food for 3 consecutive days?

Arabia Weather - A person depends on starting and completing his day actively on many meals and diet systems that suit his needs, but imagine for some reason abstaining from food for 3 days, what will happen then? How will you get your energy? Do you think you can fast for more than 72 hours without needing food?

To know more, we must first talk about how the body’s organs break down the food we eat and convert it into energy that suits our needs.

After eating a meal, food is broken down into simple molecules and used as fuel so that the body's organs can function properly. The pancreas, an organ located in the abdomen, produces the hormone insulin, which regulates the breakdown of carbohydrates in the body mainly, and also protein secondarily. Insulin is the hormone that helps cells absorb glucose in the bloodstream after eating a meal. As for dietary fats, they are broken down into fatty acids that the body uses as a source of energy and also for various biological purposes, such as testosterone production, for example. While excess fatty acids are converted back and stored in adipose tissue known as body fat.

Meanwhile, the excess carbohydrates from that meal will first be processed into glycogen, a chain of glucose molecules that can be stored and used at a later time. Glycogen is stored mainly in the liver and muscles. Because there is a biological limit to the amount of glycogen a person can store, when this limit is reached, the rest of the energy gain is converted and stored as adipose tissue in the body, also known as body fat. This is the routine process our bodies undergo when eating throughout the day. But what would happen if you chose to stop eating for 3 days in a row?

What will happen if you abstain from food for 3 days?

What will happen to your body after about 6-10 hours of abstaining from food?

Most of the remaining glucose in your body will be used for fuel, and at this time your body will begin to shift from anabolic to decomposition state. Since the body is not receiving any more nutrients at this time, it must begin using its glycogen reserves to fuel itself. Here the pancreas begins to secrete glucagon, which is different from glycogen or glucose. Its task is to stimulate the body to release glycogen and fatty acids.

If your last meal was low in carbohydrates, your body may begin to produce ketones as an energy source during this first phase of abstinence. Ketones are chemicals produced by the liver when fat cells convert into fatty acids. So generally during those first hours, your blood glucose levels will begin to gradually rise and then will gradually decrease. Meanwhile, ketone levels will do just the opposite and will gradually rise, especially after about 10 hours of fasting.

The role of growth hormone in the period of fasting and abstinence from food

Before you reach 10 hours of abstinence, if you are used to eating three meals a day or eating a diet high in carbohydrates, you will likely feel hungry and have low energy levels. But if you ignore this hunger and continue fasting for at least 10 hours, your body will begin to increase levels of a hormone produced by the pituitary gland called human growth hormone, also known as (HGH).

Fasting and abstaining from food can increase the production of growth hormone - HGH - as effectively as exercise, stress, and a significant drop in blood sugar, which is also known as low blood sugar. Growth hormone plays an important role in the fasting process because it is linked to increased muscle growth, exercise performance, improved body composition, faster metabolic rate, stronger immunity, and faster recovery from injuries.

Although growth hormone is unlikely to trigger muscle growth in the absence of nutrients during abstinence, it is thought to be responsible for delaying muscle breakdown. So it will help prevent muscle loss during the period of abstinence from food. It does this by stimulating metabolic processes such as protein synthesis and muscle tissue repair. According to research, the longer the fast, the greater the production of growth hormone - HGH. For example, a study showed that fasting for just two days increased HGH production by 5 times.

What will happen to your body in the period of 12-16 hours of abstaining from food?

In the period of approximately 12 to 16 hours, depending on the amount of carbohydrates you normally eat, your body will continue to deplete its glycogen stores, while also increasing its reliance on ketone particles. The benefits of this initial period of fasting are well documented as multiple studies have been conducted monitoring people during Ramadan fasting.

Studies in this area provide an excellent overview of the benefits that fasting for 10-17 hours a day has on the human body. According to the results, there is a significant improvement in weight management, digestion, and cholesterol levels. In addition, some studies show a significant reduction in inflammatory markers associated with a number of diseases.

What will happen to your body in the period of 16-18 hours of abstaining from food?

After 16-18 hours of fasting, your body will begin the process of autophagy, which is an automatic recycling process in which the body begins to get rid of any impurities it finds, whether they are damaged proteins, bacteria, or unhealthy cells.

What will happen to your body in the period of 24-32 hours of abstaining from food?

After 24-32 hours of fasting, your body will deplete its glycogen stores and will rely entirely on its own fat stores for energy. Your brain still needs glucose to function effectively, so your body will find ways to achieve this, usually by splitting triglycerides from fat stores into glycerol and free fatty acids, which will help preserve muscle and prevent muscle deterioration.

Your body will get most of the energy and glucose it needs to maintain your muscles from body fat, and it will increase the secretion of human growth hormone in the process.

What will happen to your body after 32 hours of fasting or abstaining from food?

After 32 hours you will notice significant weight loss, however, this is mostly related to water loss due to depletion of carbohydrate stores and also fat loss.

What will happen to your body after 3 days of abstaining from food?

Once you reach 3 days of fasting, the process of boosting your immune system, autophagy, and reducing inflammation will continue. But the disadvantages will outweigh the benefits. Fasting for 72 hours is difficult for most people without any medical help. The body will also begin to break down muscle tissue and may begin to damage certain vitamins and minerals and may lead to digestive problems.

Source: boxrox