A Preliminary Observational Study on Potential Effects of Prolonged Water-Only Fasting Followed by Whole-Plant-Food Refeeding in Normal-Weight Females

Abstract

Evidence suggests that prolonged water-only fasting is safe and may improve cardiometabolic biomarkers in normal-weight males, but data in normal-weight females are lacking. Given the physiological differences between males and females, research is needed in normal-weight females to assess safety and effectiveness. This article presents preliminary, observational data on adverse events as well as the immediate and sustained effects of water-only fasting followed by whole-plant-food refeeding on body composition and select biomarkers in seven normal-weight females recruited from a residential fasting center. Median fasting, refeeding, and follow-up lengths were 10, 5, and 44 days, respectively, during which there were no severe or serious adverse events. There were also slight changes in some cardiometabolic biomarkers that were sustained after a prolonged follow-up period. Despite substantial limi