Intermittent Fasting: Why It's Not Dangerous by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, NNP, PHC, PFC
Intermittent Fasting: Why It's Not Dangerous
If you listen to mainstream nutrition advice, you'll hear the same tired warnings: "Skipping meals will slow your metabolism!" "Fasting causes muscle loss!" "Women shouldn't fast—it's dangerous!"
That's all nonsense.
Intermittent fasting (IF) isn't some extreme, new-age biohack. It's how humans have eaten for most of history. Our ancestors didn't wake up and have a bowl of cereal at 7 AM, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, and then dinner. They ate when food was available, went hours (or days) without eating, and—spoiler—they didn't drop dead from "starvation mode."
The truth is that fasting is one of the most effective tools for fat loss, insulin resistance, and metabolic health. It's simple, natural, and works with your body—not against it. Let's break down what actually happens when you fast, why it's not dangerous, and how you can use it to improve your health.
First, and this is important, fasting isn't starvation.
Starvation is when you don't have access to food, and your body starts breaking down muscle for survival. Fasting is controlled and intentional—you're simply allowing your body to use stored energy instead of constantly running on incoming food.
Here's what happens at different stages of fasting:
- Your body is still burning the glucose from your last meal.
- Insulin remains elevated, keeping fat stored instead of burned.
- If you eat frequently, you never leave this stage.
- You've entered the metabolic state called ketosis (Anton et al., Obesity 2018). Your body starts breaking down and burning fat.
- Your body switches to fat as its primary fuel source.
- Ketone production increases significantly (Anton et al., Obesity 2018).
- Your cells are increasingly recycling old components and breaking down misfolded proteins linked to Alzheimer's and other diseases (Alirezaei et al., Autophagy 2010). This is a process called autophagy.
- Growth hormone levels increase up to five times as high as when you started fasting (Hartman et al., 1992).
- Insulin has dropped to its lowest level since you started fasting, and your body is becoming increasingly insulin-sensitive (Klein et al., 1993).
- Your body is breaking down old immune cells and generating new ones (Cheng et al., 2014).
In other words, fasting is your body's built-in repair system. Modern eating habits, which encourage constant grazing and frequent meals, prevent this system from working effectively.
Most people struggle with fat loss because they're constantly eating, keeping insulin levels high. When insulin is elevated, the body cannot access stored fat for energy. And with fat stores locked away, you will be hungry within a couple of hours after a meal.
When you fast, insulin drops, and your body starts tapping into stored fat for energy. This is why fasting is so effective for fat loss—it allows your body to actually use your body fat.
Insulin resistance is the root cause of obesity, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. Many cancers and mental diseases have also been linked to insulin resistance. If you're struggling with weight, cravings, or fatigue, there's a good chance you have it.
- Lower inflammation (great for autoimmune conditions and chronic pain).
- Improved brain function (autophagy helps clear out toxins linked to neurodegenerative diseases).
- Slower aging (because your cells are constantly renewing).
One of the biggest fasting myths is that it causes muscle loss. The truth? Fasting increases growth hormone, which preserves muscle and accelerates fat loss.
Dr. Jason Fung, a leading expert on fasting and author of multiple books on the topic, explains it well: "Your body is not stupid. It will use fat for energy, not protein." Fung's books and videos provide excellent resources for understanding how fasting works. Fung’s books and videos provide excellent resources for understanding how fasting works. His books, including The Obesity Code and The Complete Guide to Fasting, break down the science behind fasting and why it works for fat loss and metabolic health.
Fasting is the only and cheapest liver detox. When you stop eating, your liver finally gets a break from constantly processing incoming food and can focus on detoxifying your body. This allows it to clear out toxins, improve fat metabolism, and optimize overall liver function. Instead of relying on expensive detox teas or supplements, simply giving your body a break from food lets your liver do what it was designed to do.
- Start with a 12-hour fast. Stop eating after dinner and don't snack at night.
- Gradually extend to 16 hours. (For example, stop eating at 7 PM, eat again at 11 AM.)
- Stay hydrated. Drink water, coffee, or tea. Add electrolytes if needed.
- Break your fast with a protein-rich meal. Avoid high-carb, high-sugar meals.
- Listen to your body. If fasting makes you feel terrible, tweak your approach.
If you are on any prescriptions, talk to your doctor first.
Having said that, if you're insulin resistant, struggling with weight loss, or dealing with inflammation, fasting is one of the best tools you can use.
✅ It helps burn fat by lowering insulin.
✅ It reverses insulin resistance.
✅ It kicks autophagy into higher gears, helping your body repair itself.
✅ It improves brain function and overall health.
✅ It is the only and cheapest liver detox. Not eating helps the liver process toxins more efficiently and reset its natural detox functions.
And no, fasting isn't extreme. What's extreme is eating every 2-3 hours and wondering why you're always hungry, inflamed, and gaining weight.
So, if you've been afraid of fasting because of bad information, now you know better. Give it a try, see how your body responds, and adjust as needed.
Your body is built for fasting. Let it do its job and reap the health benefits.
Written by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, NNP, PHC, PFC
Published March 15th, 2025
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