Fasting has been the subject of many studies, and the results continue to show promise as the benefits for health pile up. While a search online can provide various popular fasting options and their benefits, one term that may need to be more familiar is autophagy, which is the process of recycling cells. But to get the benefits, is 16 hours fasting enough for autophagy?
What Exactly is Autophagy?
According to Cleveland Clinic, (1) autophagy is how your body recycles cells. Since cells are present in every tissue and organ in the body, over time, they can stop working correctly and may not do the job they are supposed to do.
Autophagy is your body's way of recycling the parts of the cells that no longer function properly and removing the waste products. In essence, it's a quality control center for the cells.
Studies (2) show that to benefit from the process of autophagy, more extended fasting periods that deprive the body of nutrients can trigger it, yet the amount of time needed to fast can vary. Generally, the research shows that inducing autophagy starts at the 12 to 16 hours of fasting and rises as fasting continues. (3)
Several factors can contribute to the degree of autophagy that include:
- Age
- Metabolism
- Health issues
Studies suggest that the longer you fast, the more enhanced autophagy will become and the better the cleansing process. (4)
The body is a fantastic machine. Like all machinery, it may need some help fine-tuning it. While the body works to maintain optimal health, other factors can interfere, such as health and the process of aging. Fasting long enough to initiate autophagy can help to battle those naturally occurring issues that can affect common age-related health problems such as dementia and heart disease. While more research is needed, fasting does show to be beneficial. (5)
The Health Benefits of Autophagy
The autophagy process has evident benefits inside and outside of the cells. (6) While fasting can trigger autophagy, we can also help it by paying attention to lifestyle habits such as diet and sleep. The benefits of autophagy include:
Autophagy helps prevent disease
Studies show that autophagy can help reduce the chances of getting some diseases. If autophagy cannot work effectively, the ability to maintain healthy cells and tissue becomes compromised. Then the chances of getting a disease can increase.
Some of the health issues associated with autophagy include some cancers, liver disease, kidney disease, obesity, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, as well as various other neurodegenerative diseases. (7)
Autophagy helps you live longer
We are all aging, and although it's not something we can stop, studies suggest we can do our part to limit the effects of the normal aging process. (8) Limiting stress, increasing exercise and eating a healthy diet can make a difference in how we age.
Research has also shown that increasing autophagy can improve health and quality of life by reducing cell damage. It also protects our immune system and reduces inflammation, which is at the core of age-related diseases that contribute to physical and mental decline. (9)
Autophagy helps with weight loss and management
Obesity and insulin resistance are significant factors in many diseases, and according to studies, autophagy can help the body use glucose and insulin more effectively, which can help in weight management. (10)
Diets high in sugar and processed carbs aren't just related to weight gain but also overall health and can impact you on a cellular level, contributing to the death or dysfunction of cells that lead to issues such as diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic disorders. Studies show that autopathy can repair cell damage and reduce the risks of these and many other health conditions. (11)
Sparking Autophagy
Our bodies are continuously regenerating cells, and while some behaviors can increase damage, just as others can reduce it, autophagy can turbocharge the recycling process and positively impact health. So, how can we prompt the process of autophagy?
Fasting methods
Calorie restriction isn't new and has become popular for controlling weight and increasing health. There are various methods, each with varying effects on specific health conditions.
Fasting is reducing the number of hours you eat during the day. There are various types of fasting, also known as intermittent fasting. Some of the most popular fasting options include: (12)
- Time-restricted feeding. Time-restricted eating is when you consume whatever you want within a specific number of hours. Typically feeding time will be between 3 and 12 hours a day, which means your body is in a state of fasting for 12 to 21 hours each day.
- 16/8 method. Allows you to eat your meals within an 8-hour period and fast for 16. This method promotes fasting after dinner and overnight, ending after you've fasted for 16 hours.
- The 5:2 diet. This method allows you to eat normally for 5 days while significantly reducing calories for 2 days to about 500 per day.
- Alternate day fasting. You eat your regular meals one day and fast every other day.
- Autophagy fasting. Studies vary on the exact amount of time it takes to induce autophagy, but the research suggests that fasting is required for at least 16 hours to start the process, but within 24 to 48 hours, autophagy is working to recycle cells.
When in a fasting state, you deprive your cells of the nutrients of the foods you eat, which leads them to eat the dysfunctional cell components for energy. (13)
Conclusion
The cellular recycling process that occurs during longer fasting times is called autophagy. It provides benefits, including reduced disease risks, better weight and weight-related health management, and promotes a healthier and longer life.
While studies are ongoing, research suggests you'd have to fast for a minimum of 12 to 16 hours to induce autophagy. It's important to understand that fasting can be dangerous with certain medical conditions, so always seek medical advice before trying it out.
