Scientists reveal how seven days of fasting transforms the human body
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- Queen Mary University of London’s PHURI team tracked ~3,000 blood proteins in 12 volunteers during a seven‑day water‑only fast, revealing organ‑wide molecular shifts.
- Norwegian School of Sports Sciences co‑conducted the study, noting that major proteomic changes only emerged after about three days without food, coinciding with the metabolic switch from glucose to fat.
- Participants lost an average of 5.7 kg (≈12.5 lb) over the fast, with lean tissue loss largely recovered after three days of refeeding while most fat loss persisted.
- Nature Metabolism published the findings, highlighting alterations in brain‑related proteins and immune pathways that may underlie fasting’s health benefits.
- Researchers suggest the data could guide development of “fasting‑mimetic” therapies that reproduce key molecular effects without prolonged food deprivation.
Why it matters: Biotech firms could gain a roadmap for fasting‑mimetic drugs, while patients might avoid the burdens of multi‑day fasts, accelerating therapeutic options for metabolic disease in the near term.
