Nowadays people do different types of intermittent fasting routines of various hours. Among all of them, one of the most asked questions is 48 vs 72 hour fast; which one is better? Well, both these extended fasting styles include zero-calorie drinks for 48 and 72 hours. Both of these have their differences and benefits. If you have fasted for 12 hours or 16 hours and are planning to go for prolonged fasts, then one of these 2 can be your options. In this article, we will explore everything about these 2 types in detail.
What Happens When You Fast for 48 or 72 Hours?
48 and 72 hours fasting means not eating for 2 and 3 straight days and relying only on plenty of water. A 72 or 48 hour fast once a week can reduce your monthly calorie intake by a huge number. In this stage, your body burns down the sugar and enters ketosis. When the insulin level is down, the energy is produced by ketosis by burning fat. Thus, these 2 prolonged fasting routines help you lose weight faster than a normal diet.
Benefits of 48 and 72 Hours Fast
Both of the fasting types are similar, with one being more prolonged. Both the Fasting hours benefits are more or less the same, but 72 hours fast has some extra benefits. Here are a few of them:
48 Fasting Hours Benefits
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This fasting routine helps with slow aging by delaying tissue aging.
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It improves cellular repair since the long fasting releases ketone, which rejuvenates the blood vessels.
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Since the energy is produced by burning fats, this intermittent fasting boosts the weight loss journey.
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It levels up the metabolic rate by 3.6-14% and boosts the energy, thereby burning more calories.
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The fastings improve insulin sensitivity and decrease sugar levels.
72 Fasting Hours Benefits
The 72 fasting hours benefits have all the benefits the same as the 48 hours, but has some additional benefits.
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It improves cognitive function by boosting nerve cells. Thus, brain performance increased.
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72 hours of fasting helps promote heart health by reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
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It increases longevity by increasing stem cell regeneration.
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This water fasting helps keep the good bacteria and kills bad microbes, thereby decreasing pro-inflammatory cells. This way, it helps reduce inflammation.
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Despite having all these benefits, one may face side effects like dizziness, hunger, headache, fatigue, sleeping disorder, great weight loss, etc.
48 Hour Fast vs 72 Hour Fast: Which One is Better?
48 hours of fasting reaches the stage of autophagy, which refers to the reuse of damaged old stem cells to create new rejuvenated ones. In this stage, the toxins also get removed, and the cells get cleansed. This recycling system of the cells is very beneficial for the healthy function of the cells. Few research suggests that this might restrain type 2 diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's. But what happens when you fast for more than 48 hours, which means 72 hours? Here, you have the 48 hour fast vs 72 hour fast differences.
Fasting for 72 hours surpasses all the biological processes and benefits of less prolonged fastings. Beyond 48 hours, the body gets fully into autophagy, and the secretion of growth hormone (HGH) starts. This is very necessary for the growth of muscle bones and boosting the metabolism. Furthermore, this fasting will also stimulate stem cell regeneration by repairing tissues and chronic disease. This increase in stem cell regeneration due to fasting for a longer time helps the raw cells to change into white blood cells, nerve cells, and other types of cells.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, both 48 vs 72 hour fast have more or less the same kind of benefits. However, 72 hours of fasting, due to being more prolonged, has some additional benefits and effectiveness. Choosing between these 2 fasting routines depends entirely on one's body and determination. Not all types of body can take fasting in the same good way. Furthermore, despite having all the benefits, both have some side effects as well. So, one must select the one that feels right for their body and should perform after doctor consultation.
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