Dry Fasting vs Water Fasting: Which is better for you?

Dry fasting vs water fasting, which one is better? This question generally comes to our minds when we are planning to add alternative fasting to our diet regimes.

Fasting can have numerous health benefits and is one of the best ways to get rid of toxins from the body. It can be an effective option if you want to lose body fat and improve your overall health.

Dry fasting and Water fasting are the two most common methods of fasting. During dry fasting, both food and water are avoided, whereas water fasting prohibits you from consuming anything but water for the whole duration of the fast.

So, let's take a look at both of these methods of fasting and examine their benefits on your body.

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What are the benefits of Fasting?

Fasting can be incredibly beneficial to the body if done correctly. Some of the major benefits of fasting include:

1. Increases the production of mitochondria in the cells, which can provide the body with a tremendous amount of energy.
2. Autophagy, which increases the body's capacity to repair cell damage.
3. Enhance the production of stem cells
4. Increased cell regeneration, which improves memory and cognitive function in the brain
5. Decreases chronic inflammation.
6. May decrease the growth of cancer cells (polyps, cysts, tumors, and fibroids)
7. Increased the production of antioxidants.
8. Help alleviate anxiety and stress.
9. Helps in weight loss.
10. Reduces water weight in the body.

Potential muscle loss is a concern for many people who are fasting or considering it, but fasting has been shown to encourage the production of growth hormone in the body which protects the body against muscle damage. This means that fasting not only protects your body against muscle loss but can also help in fat loss. However, it is important to remember that Protein can be used as body fuel during extensive periods of fasting, potentially causing muscle loss

Autophagy is one of the most essential benefits of fasting. During autophagy, the body specifically recycles damaged proteins involved in metabolic processes and enzyme production, which are crucial for various bodily functions.

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Dry Fasting vs Water Fasting

The efficiency of Dry Fasting vs Water Fasting when it comes to weight loss has become a widely debated subject, so let's examine their distinct benefits in this regard.

What is Dry Fasting?

Dry fasting is harder to sustain (Image via Pexels/khats Cassim)

Dry fasting, also known as absolute fasting, prohibits the consumption of food and water. Dry fasting has two variations: In soft dry fasting, the person can still use water to brush their teeth and wash their hands, on the other hand, hard dry fasting completely restricts the use of water for any part of the body. Dry fasting is mainly observed in religious ceremonies like the festival of Ramadan, where people fast from sunrise and only eat after sunset.

Dry fasting results in decreased cytokines, which reduces inflammation in the body. The increased number of macrophages consumes bacteria, microbes, and viruses, leading to an improved immune system. It also improves our capacity to deal with oxidative stress and prevents free radicals from damaging the cells, which can protect us from chronic diseases.

What is Water Fasting?

Water fasting may cause nutrient deficiencies (Image via Pexels/Pixabay)

Aside from consuming water, water fasting restricts the consumption of all kinds of food, including beverages like tea, coffee, and other supplements. Water allows you to fast for a prolonged period and can have the same benefits as dry fasting. However, the absence of electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals might still cause symptoms of dehydration and mineral deficiencies.

But fasting with proper precaution and care can improve our immune system, improve appetite, and cleanse the body of all kinds of toxins.

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Dry Fasting vs Water Fasting

Benefits:

Dry Fasting	Water Fasting
Ketosis: Puts the body into the state of ketosis, where the body is forced to use its stored fats for energy production.	Researches show that Water Fasting may regulate blood sugar levels in the body, reduce inflammation, and prevent the growth of cancer cells.
Helps in Weight Loss	Helps in Weight Loss
Detoxification: Flushes out toxins from the body.	Generally considered safer as compared to Dry Fasting.

Both dry and water fasting have benefits as well as side effects (Image via Pexels/Ella Olsson)

Risks:

Dry Fasting	Water Fasting
Dehydration: Dry fasting refrains the consumption of both food and water, doing it for a long period, especially in hot weather can cause dehydration.	Nutritional Deficiencies: Prolonged water fasting may empty our body of all the nutrients needed for daily activities, which are generally provided by the food we eat. This can lead to weakness, feeling dizzy, and even fainting.
Electrolyte Imbalances: The absence of water in the body during dry fasting can disrupt the electrolyte balance in the body, which can lead to several health complications over time.	Muscle Loss: During the state of ketosis, in the absence of enough carbs, the body may be forced to break muscle tissues along with fats. for the production of energy. This may lead to muscle loss.

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When talking about Dry Fasting and water fasting, we cannot conclusively declare one being more beneficial than the other. However, water fasting tends to be comparatively easier to implement as compared to dry fasting, as dry fasting entails completely stripping the body of water, which may negatively affect your health.

People wishing to shed more weight in a short period may opt for the latter, as the shortage of water may accelerate the fat-burning process. Keep in mind that the research on the safety of dry fasting is still in its early stages.

Regardless of the preferred method of fasting, ensure proper care, and consult a medical professional if you have any kind of underlying medical conditions before undertaking fasting.