Among the many different diets out there, fasting has become a popular trend for weight loss.
While most people are familiar with intermittent fasting, “dry fasting” has also gained attention for its more extreme approach. This type of fasting requires you to abstain from not just food but also water for a set period of time.
While some boast of its benefits, some experts warn that it’s not for everyone.
We checked in with Dr. Michael Lahey, physician at My Weight Loss Partner, to learn what exactly dry fasting is, how it can aid in fat loss, and whether it’s safe for every individual. Read on to get all his insights.
What is dry fasting?
Lahey states that dry fasting means the "complete exclusion of food from the human body and liquids for a particular amount of time. While ordinary fasting allows for drinking water and oil, dry fasting is an extreme form of fasting, during which people do not have even water."
There are a few different ways that this weight loss method helps increase fat loss. Lahey says, "One of the parts the biologically active compound can provide is the capacity of the product itself to put the body in ketosis faster than fasting. This process simply puts enough pressure on the fats to repair and so causes the faster breakdown of the fats."
The loss of water weight also contributes to a lower number on the scale, as he adds, "Dry fasting entails a very fast loss of water weight; thus, in the process of weighing, a dieter is likely to record a lower figure on the scale. It is also argued that dry fasting can improve autophagy, the process of getting rid of abnormal cells, and can help with keeping the weight off for a long time."
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Is dry fasting for everyone?
While there are definitely a few benefits to dry fasting, the extreme approach can cause dehydration and other dangerous health risks, especially if not done under medical supervision.
"It is not safe for diabetic patients, people with kidney diseases, or problems with the heart because of increased risks of dehydration and even loss of electrolytes. Women who are pregnant or nursing should also avoid it since they need more nutrients than other ladies," Lahey warns.
The bottom line
He encourages checking in with a medical professional before committing to such extreme diets: "Although dry fasting seems to provide a couple of emergent overweight benefits, it should be done following a doctor’s recommendation to avoid detrimental consequences. It is recommended that one should seek the doctor’s permission before they undertake some kind of fasting."
