Fasting Literature Database

Five young, mildly obese females consumed a formula diet providing total calories at 1.2 X basal energy expenditure and egg white protein, 1.5 gm./kg. ideal body weight (IBW), for 1 week (period 1). During period 2, lasting 3 weeks, a protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF) consisted of similar amounts of egg white without nonprotein calories followed by a 1-week total fast (… Read More

Ten days of total energy deprivation evoked the following endocrine changes in 12 healthy, normal-weight males: early and marked reductions and increments in the blood levels of T3 and reverse T3, respectively, with rapid returns to pre-starvation levels after refeeding; a slight and late decrease in the blood levels of T4; a minute reduction of the blood levels of TSH; a pronounced increase… Read More

Various approaches to the study of physiological and behavioural effects of energy deprivation are presented and discussed. An experimental, total energy deprivation in 20 healthy human volunteers during an 11-day period, preceded and followed by 4-day control periods, is described. Potentially pathogenic reactions which occurred in spite of precautions are analysed. It is concluded that the… Read More

During prolonged starvation blood gas analyses on 24 lean and 78 obese subjects were performed. A statistically significant sex difference of acid-base status was found in that lean females were more acidotic after 4 - 6 days of fasting than lean males. This sex difference was abolished by severe and long-standing obesity, since females suffering from this condition were not significantly… Read More

Starvation entails a progressive selection of fat as body fuel. Soon after a meal glucose utilisation by muscle ceases and fatty acids are used instead. Ketoacid levels in blood become elevated over the first week, and the brain preferentially uses these instead of glucose. The net effect is to spare protein even further, as glucose utilisation by brain is diminished. Nevertheless, there is… Read More

To determine whether centrally mediated adrenergic tone modulates lipolysis, ketogenesis, or insulinopenia during starvation, four lean male subjects with complete cervical cord transection and six lean healthy male volunteers were fasted for 48 hr. Plasma glucose and insulin levels decreased to comparable levels in both groups. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) and beta-hydroxybutyrate… Read More

The effects of 10 days of total energy deprivation on lymphocyte functions and cell-mediated immunity was evaluated in fourteen healthy, normal-weighted males. Lymphocytes from seven of the subjects were tested in vitro. A significant depression was noted of the DNA synthesis after stimulation with pokeweed mitogen and PPD while there was no effect on the response to concanavalin A. No change… Read More

The effect of 10 days of total fasting (energy deprivation) on blood polymorphonuclear granulocyte functions, leukocyte numbers, iron and transferrin levels was evaluated in 14 healthy, normal-weight males. Granulocytes from 7 of the subjects were tested in vitro. A statistically significant depression was noted in their bactericidal capacity against Staph. aureus. The 14 subjects showed a… Read More