As a way of cleansing body, soul and mind, therapeutic fasting has a tradition going back thousands of years. That makes it one of the oldest natural health traditions in the world. Here, not only physical but also mental aspects take centre stage.
Accordingly, therapeutic fasting is also described as a "diet for the soul". But how long should your fast ideally last? Below we explain the ideal fasting duration.
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What do I need to bear in mind when fasting?
Traditionally, a fast begins with a marked reduction in energy. At the same time, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine are stopped. Food intake is deliberately brought down below the level of your needs. You'll find more detail in our article "What is fasting? Definition & meaning".
Even so, while fasting your body is still supplied with plenty of fluids, and with them important minerals and vitamins. You can use water, juice, tea or broth for this. The holistic concept of fasting, however, goes far beyond changing your own diet.
That's why relaxation exercises and moderate to normal physical activity are also recommended throughout the whole fast. These include activities such as swimming, cycling or hiking. A certain level of movement is especially important during fasting, because protein is drawn from the body during the fasting period and muscle mass is broken down.
Emotional preparation for fasting is also considered helpful. To prepare your body for the fast, you should do 2-3 relief days beforehand, on which you eat only light food. You also support the success of your fast with rest and by avoiding stress. Overall, moderate movement, plenty of fresh air and relaxation exercises are an essential part of a successful fast.
How to find your optimal fasting duration
Did you know that a healthy person reaches their physical limit after around 40 days of fasting? Luckily, positive effects of fasting can be achieved much earlier. In fact, a fasting duration that is too long and too ambitious is not advisable, because your nutrient stores are not infinitely full either. Accordingly, longer fasting is only recommended with sufficient experience and an optimal mental and physical constitution.
Shorter fasting periods are often recommended, either because they're much easier to put into practice or on medical advice. Healthy people in particular can already benefit from short phases of fasting. You can do preventive therapeutic fasting more frequently and for a shorter duration than therapeutic fasting. In our experience, 3, 5 or 7 days have proven to be the optimal lengths, which is why we offer them here.
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How long you should fast at a minimum
Did you know that you already fast at night, as long as you don't treat yourself to a midnight snack? Even though most people mean a far longer period when they say "fasting", you can already count ordinary breaks between meals as fasting. We recommend having nothing to eat for 10-12 hours overnight in everyday life, and giving your body time between main meals during the day to digest and take care of other tasks.
The recognised Ärztegesellschaft für Heilfasten und Ernährung e.V. (German medical society for therapeutic fasting and nutrition) recommends a guided fasting duration of seven to ten days. For this, one preparation day and three days to normalise your eating behaviour should be planned in. Altogether, you should therefore allow a period of at least 14 days for the fast.
The minimum duration of fasting depends on various factors, including your health, your eating habits and your experience with fasting. While there are some basic things every person fasting should observe, there are also a few individual aspects. We explain exactly which ones below.
If you're planning a longer period without food as part of a frank. cleanse, the following section tells you how to find your optimal fasting duration.
The optimal fasting duration for fasting beginners
We recommend that beginners, or people new to fasting, start with shorter fasting periods to slowly get their body and mind used to fasting. A duration of 12-14 hours can already bring positive effects! The simplest variant is 16:8 fasting, where you eat nothing for 16 hours a day and have your usual meals within 8 hours. Once you notice how good it does you, feel free to extend the fasting period a little. You can do this easily, for example, with intermittent fasting, for which we also offer a programme lasting 4, 8 or 12 weeks.
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If you want to fast for more than 2 days in a row, we recommend our multi-day cleanses, which include our juice, soup and food cleanses. Here you can choose between a duration of 3, 5 or 7 days. For beginners we always recommend the 3 day cleanse and advise the Starter or Medium intensity with a balanced ratio of fruit and vegetables. If you don't want to give up meals, the food cleanse is the right choice. Here you enjoy three tasty, varied organic meals on every fasting day.
The optimal fasting duration for advanced fasters
If you've already successfully done a longer fast and want to give yourself another time out, we recommend the 5 day cleanse. 5 days is the optimal length to stimulate autophagy and benefit from the other effects of fasting. Here we advise the Medium or Pro intensities with a higher share of vegetables and therefore fewer calories.
The optimal fasting duration for experts
If you've fasted several times already, we'd like to suggest our 7 day cleanses. Here your fasting experience will be at its most intense! You give your body especially long to switch to the fasting metabolism and stay in ketosis the longest. Here too we advise the Medium or Pro intensities with a higher share of vegetables and therefore fewer calories.
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The optimal fasting duration with medical supervision
When fasting is used therapeutically under medical supervision, you can fast for more than seven days! Cleanses lasting around three weeks are even common here.
Trained professionals support you not only mentally during such a long fasting period, but also keep an eye on your physical wellbeing and regularly measure health parameters.
Optimal fasting duration for autophagy
One of the most fascinating aspects of fasting is its ability to trigger the process of autophagy. Autophagy is a natural cleansing mechanism of your body in which damaged cells are broken down and recycled. But how long does it take for this process to kick in? Studies suggest that autophagy normally starts after about 12-16 hours of fasting, but the optimal timing varies depending on individual metabolism and state of health. For some people it can take longer, while others may enter the autophagic state faster.
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It's important to note that autophagy shouldn't be the sole goal of fasting. It's more of an extra benefit that builds up over time with regular fasting. So be patient with your body and let it find its own rhythm. You'll find more detail on the process of autophagy in our blog article on the topic.
Conclusion: this is the optimal fasting duration
So, what is the optimal fasting duration for you? Well, that's a question you're best placed to answer yourself. Every body is unique and has different needs. But from our experience we can say that cleanses of 3, 5 or 7 days are very effective. They let you make use of the benefits of fasting without overloading your body. In the end, it's about listening to your body and finding the fasting duration that best fits your lifestyle. Whichever duration you choose, remember that it's always important to listen to your body, especially if you're new to fasting. Your wellbeing comes first!
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