Novak Djokovic reveals he goes 16 hours without eating everyday

In a new episode of his Instagram series 'Conscious Living', Novak Djokovic spoke with countryman Dr. Dragan Ivanov about the benefits of healthy eating. But the Serb also made some interesting revelations about his own diet - including the fact that he has made a habit out of starving himself.

Novak Djokovic shared a video of the interaction on his profile, saying that he was happy to learn the basics of diet and nutrition from Dr. Ivanov.

The English translation of the said post written in Serbian reads:

"In the new episode of "Conscious Living", I talked with the respected Professor, Dr. Dragan Ivanov. Dr. Ivanov is a specialist in internal medicine, a professor at the College for Teacher Education and has his own practice (clinic) in Novi Sad. Dr. Ivanov shared some basics of healthy eating that he advocates. I really enjoyed the conversation, and I hope you will too. Cheers."

Professor Ivanov, a vegetarian, informed Novak Djokovic about the foods that are best for the brain, and also said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The specialist in internal medicine further stated that a vegetarian diet is the best source of energy and protein for the body.

Novak Djokovic's stunning revelation about self-starving

During the chat with Dr. Ivanov, Novak Djokovic talked about the unusual dietary practices he follows in order to achieve peak fitness.

Despite being a top athlete who needs heavy doses of energy, Djokovic said that he goes 16 hours without eating everyday. This is part of a process called 'autophagy', and it has seemingly been working wonders for Djokovic over the last one and a half years.

The 33-year-old told Dr. Ivanov:

"Going 16 hours a day without food has contributed to improvements in my digestive system. I have better sleep and more energy during the day."

It has been medically proven by Japanese Nobel laureate Yoshinori Oshumi that after 12 to 16 hours of starvation, the process of autophagy begins. In this process, the body starts consuming its own tissue for metabolism, which in turn has a healing effect on the individual.

On being asked about his views on autophagy, Dr. Ivanov elaborated:

"If we don’t ingest anything for 12 hours, our brain looks for food reserves. It finds a microorganism, a pathogenic bacterium and destroys and recycles it. The brain then finds a mutated cell which produces extra energy from decomposed materials."

"The body derives extra fuel from previously dysfunctional cells," Dr. Ivanov added. "If we have lunch at 2 or 3 pm, 12 hours later, autophagy is activated. It cleanses our body and prepares fuel for the next day. But the process takes 12 to 16 hours depending on individuals."

Dr. Ivanov further stated that autophagy is turned 'on' at night, when the body secretes a hormone called melatonin due to the intestine being empty.

"The secretion of melatonin will be higher if we do not have food in our intestines," Dr. Ivanov said. "When we fast, our body cells regenerate and recover. As a lifestyle, it is ideal to have breakfast in the morning, have lunch from 2 to 3 and then eat nothing until breakfast the next day. This routine would prevent many diseases."

Novak Djokovic's comments about autophagy or self-starving are the latest in a series of seemingly bizarre revelations over the last few weeks.

In a chat with Chervin Jafarieh last week, Djokovic said the molecular structure of water can be changed through emotions. And a few days before that he had expressed reservations about the coronavirus vaccine being made mandatory for ATP players, prompting many to believe he is an anti-vaxxer.

This latest revelation, however, might be the least controversial of all. Djokovic's claims are backed by the findings of a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, and the Serb also has his unreal fitness on the court to show for his efforts.

Novak Djokovic has also been following a plant-based diet over the last few years.

It seems that the Serb has arrived at the perfect dietary combination for his body: veganism paired with regular fasting or starving. And considering he has become the World No. 1 and a 17-time Slam champion through this unusual regimen, many other athletes might follow in his footsteps soon.