Autophagy is your body’s rejuvenation process that can be turned on by fasting.
Autophagy is our body’s natural recycling process, a system our bodies have used for centuries to survive. It is our body’s way of renewing itself. It involves the breakdown of old, damaged cells and renews them into healthier versions of themselves.
Over time, our cells grow old and become more susceptible to damage, which leads to oxidative stress in the body. This occurs when the body is exposed to harmful substances in the environment called free radicals, which can increase the risk of disease and accelerate aging.
Autophagy’s sole purpose in life is to reverse this negative process as much as possible. It is your friend, and is a protective mechanism to preserve the health of your cells and your entire body.
During autophagy, cells identified as being damaged are broken down, destroyed, and parts of them are reused to generate healthy, more high-functioning cells.
This process needs to occur frequently and long enough to achieve its intended benefits. Fortunately, there are ways to induce autophagy more regularly to support healthy aging and longevity.[1] One of the best ways is through fasting.
Autophagy Fasting Benefits
There are multiple autophagy benefits to health, and fasting is one way to help you achieve these benefits more often.[2] This is the case with both intermittent fasting and prolonged fasting methods.
Denying your cells of nutrients when fasting gives your body (and liver) a break from digestion and allows it to focus on cell renewal.
It then begins to locate the damaged cells that need to go, recreating them to become stronger.
Here are a few possible autophagy benefits associated with fasting:[4]
- Decreases oxidative stress that leads to early aging.
- Destroys damaged cells that can cause disease.
- Bolsters the removal of toxins from the body.
- Improves hormonal balance.
- Decreases inflammation.
- Boosts skin health by increasing collagen production.
- Supports proper nerve communication and function, helping your body work more efficiently.
- Promotes the conversion of your food and nutrients into needed energy.
When it comes to your own autophagy fasting timeline and method, it’s important to know yourself and weigh out the pros and cons of starting an autophagy diet plan like fasting.
How to Induce Autophagy By Fasting
Here are a few tips and best practices if you want to start fasting to stimulate autophagy.
Fast for at least 24 hours – While the exact fasting schedule to stimulate autophagy is not yet set in stone, your body needs some time to prepare for autophagy. While some experts say it’s possible to induce autophagy after fasting for 14–18 hours, most research points to at least 24 hours to begin to see a notifiable autophagy effect. For this reason, at least a 24-hour fast with is generally recommended to stimulate autophagy.[5]
Consider extended fasting – It’s possible that more extended fasts of at least 24–48 hours may lead to even bigger autophagic activity. However, this is not easy or necessarily safe for many people to follow.[6] Extended fasting can be especially dangerous for those who take insulin or other medications to manage blood sugar, as this can result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Add certain foods to speed up the process – There are a few foods you can try to help support the autophagy process during your eating windows. This includes coffee, green tea, turmeric, and polyphenols called ellagitannins and ellagic acid that promote health.[7] These polyphenols break down into Urolithin A
There are other effective (and safe!) ways to induce autophagy that don’t involve drastically changing your diet or eating schedule.
Calorie Restriction
A continuous calorie restriction can provide the same autophagy fasting benefits by “starving” your cells of calories on a more regular basis. You don’t need to go super low on calories to achieve autophagy – just reducing by 10-40% of your maintenance calorie needs can be effective.[8]
To achieve this safely and effectively through this method, it’s best to work with a registered dietitian for guidance.
Exercise
If you need a little extra push to exercise more, let the healthy-aging benefits of autophagy get you going on those unmotivated days. Physical activity has been shown to induce autophagy in muscles, especially after higher intensity exercise like interval training or running.[9]
However, even more prolonged, moderate-intensity exercise like walking produces these same autophagy benefits – you may just have to do it for longer.
Autophagy is your body’s way of self-preserving to delay the aging process, optimize health, and protect you from disease. You hold the tools to induce it more often through your daily habits like fasting, calorie restriction, and exercise.
References:
- Nakamura S, Yoshimori T. Autophagy and Longevity. Mol Cells. 2018 Jan 31;41(1):65-72. doi: 10.14348/molcells.2018.2333. Epub 2018 Jan 23. PMID: 29370695; PMCID: PMC5792715.
- https://www.timelinenutrition.com/blog/autophagy-and-fasting-unleash-the-power-for-optimal-health