Fasting Literature Database

Biomedical publications about prolonged water-only fasting from 1881-1999

TrueNorth Health Foundation has meticulously curated an extensive database of historical literature on prolonged water-only fasting dating back to the late 19th century.

This collection serves as a valuable resource for researchers, healthcare professionals, and individuals interested in exploring early perspectives and research on the effects of water-only fasting in humans.

These publications span a range of topics, including physiological effects, clinical applications, and historical reviews, that offer insights into the rich history and evolving understanding of fasting as a therapeutic intervention.

Protein economy during human starvation

Elia, M., Parkinson, S.
Eur J Clin Nutr 1989

Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in man

Ho, K. Y., Veldhuis, J. D., Johnson, M. L., Furlanetto, R., Evans, W. S., Alberti, K. G., Thorner, M. O.
J Clin Invest 1988
Abstract

Studies in man have shown that the episodic release of growth hormone (GH) is infrequent and erratic, and unlike that in the rat does not appear to have discernible ultradian periodicities. However, these observations in nonfasted subjects may be invalid since mixed nutrients have unpredictable effects on GH release. Moreover, in the fed state basal GH levels are frequently undetectable, thus… Read More

Therapeutic Fasting

Salloum, T. K., Burton, A.
N/A 1987

The energy cost of triglyceride-fatty acid recycling in nonobese subjects after an overnight fast and four days of starvation

Elia, M., Zed, C., Neale, G., Livesey, G.
Metabolism 1987
Abstract

The basal blood glycerol concentration was determined and the rate of glycerol turnover was assessed by a nonradioactive infusion technique in six healthy nonobese adults after an overnight fast and again after four days of total starvation. Simultaneously, estimates of total energy expenditure and net fat oxidation were made from measurements of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production,… Read More

Effect of total starvation and very low calorie diets on intestinal permeability in man

Elia, M., Goren, A., Behrens, R., Barber, R. W., Neale, G.
Clin Sci (Lond) 1987
Abstract

1. The effect of total starvation for 4-5 days on the intestinal uptake and urinary excretion of markers from an orally administered mixture of mannitol (5g), [14C]mannitol (0.5 microCi), lactulose (10 g) and 51Cr-labelled ethylenediaminetetra-acetate (51Cr-EDTA) (30 microCi), was assessed in five lean (group 1) and four obese (group 2) subjects. The effect of a very low calorie diet… Read More

Nitrogen conservation in starvation revisited: protein sparing with intravenous fructose

Gelfand, R. A., Sherwin, R. S.
Metabolism 1986
Abstract

The provision of small amounts of glucose during fasting is known to spare body protein and to attenuate markedly the metabolic response to starvation. These actions, which are not shared by fat, are generally thought to depend on the ability of exogenous glucose to stimulate insulin secretion. To determine whether fructose, a very weak insulin secretagogue, will also conserve nitrogen and… Read More

Response of ketone body metabolism to exercise during transition from postabsorptive to fasted state

Fery, F., Balasse, E. O.
Am J Physiol 1986
Abstract

This study examines the effects of a 2-h exercise of moderate intensity (50% of VO2 max) on the tracer-determined turnover rate of ketone bodies (KB) in 21 normal subjects fasted for 16 h, 5 days, whose basal ketonemia ranged between 0.09 and 6.16 mM. The KB response observed at the end of exercise is a function of the initial degree of ketosis. When basal ketonemia is below 0.6 mM, exercise… Read More

Excretion of 3-methylhistidine in nonobese fasting subjects

Garty, R., Vaisman, H., Trostler, N.
Isr J Med Sci 1985
Abstract

The metabolic response to different periods of fasting, ranging from 3 to 7 days, was studied in eight nonobese subjects. Blood ketones rose progressively to 5.07 nmol/l with the prolongation of the fast. The concentrations of glucose and alanine decreased significantly. Valine and leucine rose during fasting but the rise was not statistically significant. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) and… Read More

Use of urinary C-peptide to estimate insulin secretion during starvation

Brodows, R. G.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1985
Abstract

The usefulness of measurements of urinary C-peptide excretion in indirectly assessing integrated insulin secretion during starvation was studied in eight obese subjects during a 72-h fast. Blood and urine samples were collected at 12-h intervals for measurement of insulin and C-peptide immunoreactivity. After 60 h, serum insulin and plasma C-peptide levels declined 47% and 37%, respectively,… Read More

The concentration of blood components related to fuel metabolism during prolonged fasting in children

Lamers, K. J., Doesburg, W. H., Gabreels, F. J., Lemmens, W. A., Romsom, A. C., Wevers, R. A., Renier, W. O.
Clin Chim Acta 1985
Abstract

In order to study the relationship between sex, age and glucose, and the concentrations of various fuel related blood substrates in children during prolonged fasting, we have selected data of fasting procedures in 13 control children aged 3-5 yr, fasted 24 h, and 58 control children aged 6-15 yr, fasted 40 h. Compared to the blood results after overnight fast, glucose is decreased, and lactate… Read More