The Benefits of a 36 Hour Fast

While fasting for 36 hours might sound intense, the benefits of such an extended fast go beyond simple weight loss. In fact, a 36-hour fast offers profound health advantages by allowing your body to engage in deeper detoxification and cellular repair. This extended fast helps your body not only burn fat more efficiently but also enhances metabolic function. The 36-hour fasting period helps to intensify the fat-burning process, improve immunity, reduce inflammation, and improve insulin sensitivity. Many people who incorporate this fasting method into their lifestyle report improved energy levels, clearer thinking, and better overall health. In this piece, we’ll dive into the significant health benefits of fasting for 36 hours and explain how this advanced fasting practice can help you unlock your body’s full potential for healing and transformation.

Key Benefits of a 36-Hour Fast:

1. Intensified Fat Loss:
   With a 36-hour fast, fat burning becomes even more pronounced. A study published in showed that prolonged fasting increases fat oxidation, leading to more significant fat loss. This anecdotal study reflects what people report to experience from 36 hour fasts1,2
2. Boosted Immune System:
   Fasting for 36 hours can help rejuvenate the immune system. A study in Cell Stem Cell (2014) found that prolonged fasting promotes the production of new white blood cells, essential for immune defence2
3. Improved Insulin Sensitivity:
   A 36-hour fast improves insulin sensitivity and regulates blood sugar. Research in Frontiers in Endocrinology (2021) revealed that extended fasting improves insulin sensitivity, helping to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes3
4. Slow Ageing and Improve Longevity:
   Fasting improves longevity by activating cellular repair processes and enhancing metabolic health. Research in Cell Metabolism by Dr Longo shows that intermittent fasting triggers autophagy and boosts mitochondrial function, which protect cells from damage and reduce the risk of age-related diseases, potentially extending lifespan4

Conclusion:

A 36-hour fast can intensify fat burning, boost the immune system, improve insulin sensitivity, slows ageing and promotes longevity making it an effective tool for health optimization.

References:

1.           Borer, K. T. Twice-Weekly 36-Hour Intermittent Fasting Practice Attenuates Hunger, Quadruples ß-Hydroxybutyrate, and Maintains Weight Loss: A Case Report. Cureus 16, e57979 (2024).

2.           Cheng, C. W. et al. Prolonged fasting reduces IGF-1/PKA to promote hematopoietic-stem-cell-based regeneration and reverse immunosuppression. Cell Stem Cell 14, 810–823 (2014).

3.           Moser, O. et al. Impact of a Single 36 Hours Prolonged Fasting Period in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes – A Cross-Over Controlled Trial. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 12, 656346 (2021).

4.           Longo, V. D. & Mattson, M. P. Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. Cell Metab 19, 181 (2014).