Extreme Fasting Myths: What Gurus Won’t Tell You About Your Body

Americans are getting tricked by extreme fasting gurus who promise miracle cures with nothing but water for seven days. These online fasting influencers claim that starving yourself for a week will fix inflammation, disease, weight gain, and metabolism problems. But a real doctor is finally telling people the truth about what seven-day fasts actually do to your body.

Dr. Mandell, a chiropractor and health expert, is breaking down the physiology of extended fasting and why he would never recommend a seven-day fast for most people. He explains that while fasting can be a powerful tool when done right, extreme fasting is dangerous and often misunderstood. The problem is that too many people are pushing extreme measures without understanding how the human body actually works.

When you fast for too long, your body does not enter some magical healing mode like the fasting promoters claim. Instead, your body shifts into survival mode after just a couple of days. Your insulin levels drop, yes, but your cortisol levels skyrocket as your body panics about the starvation.

Your cortisol is your stress hormone, and prolonged fasting cranks it up to dangerous levels. This creates the opposite of healing and instead puts your nervous system into overdrive. You end up more stressed, not less stressed, which actually hurts your health instead of helping it.

Extended fasting breaks down your muscle tissue at a rapid rate because your body needs protein to survive. Your muscles are being cannibalized for fuel, which means you lose strength and lean mass that took months to build. This is why people often feel weaker and more fatigued during extreme fasts.

Shorter, well-timed fasting strategies produce better results without destroying your body in the process. A sixteen-hour fast or even a twenty-four-hour fast can work well when done correctly and with medical guidance. This approach gives you the benefits of fasting without the harmful stress of prolonged starvation.

People report feeling shaky, anxious, cold, fatigued, and mentally foggy during extreme fasts, and now you know why. Your thyroid function drops, your electrolyte balance gets disrupted, and your nervous system is screaming for food. These warning signs mean your body is suffering, not healing.

True health comes from working with your physiology, not punishing yourself into submission. Healing requires smart choices and personal responsibility, not extreme experiments that harm your body. Always talk to a real doctor before making major changes to how you eat, especially if you have any health problems at all.