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The 72-hour fast, sometimes referred to as the 72-hour water fast, is a variation of Intermittent fasting, that people tend to follow once every week or once a month. Just like all other variations, it involves not consuming any food and caloric beverages for 72 hours.
72 hours is almost three days and hence it is not advisable for all individuals. Strict precautions should be taken before starting it. That is why, in this article, we will try to tell you all about the 72-hour fast, and the precautions that you must take.
The 72-hour fast involves abstaining from water for a prolonged amount of time. It may lead to several negative health effects including severe dehydration, loss of lean muscle mass, the feeling of nausea, fainting, hyponatremia, decreased serum calcium and magnesium levels in the body, urine infection, etc.
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Hence, if practising intermittent fasting for the first time, it is not at all recommended to go for the 72-hour fast, but rather start with shorter water fasts with a reduced eating window. Then gradually increase the duration towards the 24-hour fast for once a week, and then eventually move towards it.
Letting the body adapt itself to the changes, one step at a time can minimise the risks, which can do more harm than good.
Is the 72-hour fast good?
Most people doing the 72-hour fasting or any variation of the intermittent fasting are primarily interested in weight loss. So yes, it can effectively help you in reducing weight, but this also depends on certain factors.
First, your body type and composition are very important, which will determine how it will act in the absence of water. Secondly, how much you engage in physical activity and exercise is also a crucial factor as it will determine how much the body is habitual with its calorie consumption.
On average, an adult needs around 2,300 calories per day to maintain their body weight, given the physical activity and BMR. So, water fasting for 3 days can put us on about 7000 calories deficit. As much as it is effective in reducing body weight, it can be equally risky.
Hence, if you have earlier experienced a prolonged water fast, then you can go for the 72-hour fast. However, one must remember not to overeat quickly once the fast ends, as it will neutralise the benefits.
In general, a caloric deficit of around 3500 calories results in one pound of fat loss, hence, keeping the fasting for 3 days can result in almost about 2 pounds of fat loss, which is almost 1 kg.
One can start the 72-hour fasting with the assistance of a healthcare professional. Make sure that you have power and tablets of electrolytes to neutralise any dangerous imbalances.
In this fast, one is completely allowed to drink non-caloric beverages, such as water, herbal tea, black coffee, etc, but make sure you don't consume any sugar.
While being on a caloric deficit can significantly help to lose weight, doing this for a prolonged amount of time can reduce your metabolism rate. This process is known as adaptive thermogenesis, which if continued over time, can actually lead to more weight gain. .
Our body needs time to recover from the 3 days of fasting, and hence it is recommended not to do this fasting often, and preferably only once or twice a month. Added to a balanced diet and good exercise, one will be safe from any additional health, and will also see significant changes in body composition.
