Hi all. I have managed to get really good at 48 hour dry fasts through practicing. But my real goal has always been to master 72 hours. I want to be able to go 3 full days with no food and no water. Normally I just sit around the house when I’m doing this, with some mild walking at most.
But always around hour 53 or 54, I start to feel terrible. I’m somehow feeling worse, less energy, less motivation, more hunger… everything. And it always breaks me. Up until that point I’m ok, I just feel how a normal dry fast feels. Lower energy, and some mental sluggishness, but mainly ok. Can’t run any marathons, but I get by.
Not after hour 54 though. At that point I’m feeling totally over it and I just want it to end. I’m curious if potassium could be causing this. I have found out exactly how to deal with the salt problem, which is to put a very small pinch of salt on my tongue every 10 hours of the dry fast. But I don’t know how I should do this with potassium. I don’t know how often, or how much.
Could potassium be the problem? Does it start making you feel terrible? Thanks!
I think it matters what you’ve eaten the day before you fast. My last was fast of 5.5 days 2 years ago and I decided to fast. Day 2 I had headaches and nausea but I went through with it. 3rd day was also hard and broke it at the 88th hour mark, 8 hours before full 4 days.
So I drank water and ate, did 24 hours again, drank water and ate, now I’m on an extended fast again and day 2 was so easy this time. I’m on the third day and I can easily finish this day but my goal is to do 5 days minimum. I’m starting to get bored though and cravings are starting to come.
TL;DR it gets better each time you fast and what you eat before starting your fast makes a lot of difference.
Why only a very small pinch of salt?
Salt (sodium chloride) is potassium sparing. But if sodium levels are low then it will begin to use potassium. If potassium levels are low then it goes to magnesium.
Half a teaspoon of salt under your tongue every time you feel that way. It’s called salt loading.
Make sure there’s an hour or two in between so you don’t give yourself diarrhea. If you do then things are about to get worse because diarrhea will flush out even more electrolytes.
I didn’t make it to 72 hours my first few times. Especially with cortisol ramping up on day 3. I think you get used to it. Do you regularly consume caffeine? Abrupt cessation can trigger withdrawal effects. Also make sure you’re properly preparing before hand, getting good electrolytes. Lite salt is an easy way to supplement sodium and potassium levels before a fast. Finally (and this is just personal), how often are you attempting dry fasts? In my opinion, more than once a month might be harder on the body.