Research reviews
What a small prolonged-fasting literature can tell us
Efficacy and safety of prolonged water fasting: a narrative review of human trials
Published
The reviewed methods do not state an explicit search cutoff. Online publication in June 2023 predates the 2024–2025 primary papers in this guide.
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Fasting Free source summary: https://fastingfree.com/education/ezpeleta-2024-prolonged-review/
PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY
What it found
Short-term weight and some marker changes were reported, with variable lipid results and limited evidence of lasting improvements.
Keep these limits in view
This is not a pooled meta-analysis. Sparse body-composition and follow-up data do not establish a universal muscle-loss fraction or long-term safety; an explicit search cutoff was not supplied.
Understand the context
- Evidence type
- Narrative review of human water-only and Buchinger fasting studies
- Population or scope
- Adults in varied clinical and research settings
- Sample or coverage
- 8 studies; only 2 measured changes in fat and lean mass
- Study duration or data period
- Fasting interventions of approximately 5–20 days; limited later follow-up
- Comparison
- Mixed designs, mostly without a control group; fasting-mimicking diets and intermittent fasting were excluded.
- Measured outcomes
- Weight and metabolic markers during fasting and, where available, after refeeding.
Research terms in this source
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