The Science of Fasting

 (510)
8.156min2012ALL
Young biologists from the University of Southern California have overturned conventional wisdom and used molecular biology to demonstrate the powerful effects of fasting. This research suggests a wide-ranging potential, which could include treatments for the disease of the century, cancer. If these scientists are right, maybe our approach to disease and treatment will need a rethink.
Directors
Sylvie GilmanThierry de Lestrade
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Special InterestDocumentary
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Producers
Marc BouvierHélène ColdefyJean-Pierre Devorsine
Studio
Arte France
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4.5 out of 5 stars

510 global ratings

  1. 78% of reviews have 5 stars
  2. 10% of reviews have 4 stars
  3. 4% of reviews have 3 stars
  4. 2% of reviews have 2 stars
  5. 5% of reviews have 1 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

KimmieCReviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yes!
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If you want to learn the benefits of fasting. This is a great inspiration! Ive been fasting now on and off for 10 years. And this is a great documentary on why everyone should try it. It is free to fast and and has so many benefits it’s astounding. I really don’t know why everyone doesn’t try it.
LightCCReviewed in the United States on June 1, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exposes modern research and practice of fasting in Russia, Germany, and more recently in the US
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Excellent overview of the research and practice of fasting in Russia, Germany, and the US. Water fasting from 1-6 weeks in Russia and 1-3 weeks in Germany has been occurring as a common practice for the last 60 years - yet I had never heard of this outside of a religious context. The documentary explains how the practice started in each country and a mix of both anecdotal cases and research findings that cast light on the reason it has grown as a treatment for a broad range of diseases, including psychological, with broad acceptance. In fact, several of the large public hospitals in Germany have entire floors dedicated to monitoring long-term fasting.

The last part of the video focuses on US research, where eyes are just beginning to awaken to the possibilities of fasting. The research of Dr. Valter Longo is highlighted. There has not been a medical practice of fasting in the U.S., so the video is primarily focused on research. I believe this has to do with cultural issues, such as how we teach doctors in the US - they are often closeminded to new ideas and alternative treatments (to be fair - there is plenty of quackery out there).

I highly recommend approaching this film with a critical, but open mind, and certainly watch the entire thing (get past the sub-titled first part in Russia and Germany at least!).

Follow-ups for those interested:
1. Search on Dr. Longo's "Fast Mimicking Diet", which allows up to 1/3 the normal daily calories but the body still reacts as though it is fasting. The intent of this protocol is to have something that physicians can prescribe that is easier to complete than a full fast, and less foreign to the average US resident, while getting the same benefits. (His company, Prolon, sells the 5 day meal package to complete the protocol).
2. Check out podcasts like foundmyfitness.com and the Tim Ferris show that include discussions of autophagy and both intermittent and prolonged fasting in many episodes, as well as delve into sorting out what is really healthy and not from diet, sleep, and other perspectives, and are open to investigating the science of many alternative approaches to these types of topics.
3. Check out the more US culture-based documentary just titled "Fasting" where they "tentatively endorse" careful, doctor-led fasting. Dr. Longo and Dr. Fung are interviewed in this one.
4. For a great viewpoint on how biased the US is against any alternative treatment that doesn't make big money for the healthcare complex (something you see repeatedly in the 1-star reviews of this documentary), check out the documentary "Cancer Can be Killed", available on Prime as of this moment.
2 people found this helpful
OshynReviewed in the United States on October 24, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fasting is the best thing you can do for your health and mind!
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I tried fasting when I was young for many reasons. I was in a bad place and I am also a Christian and need clarity. I was also poor and started by skipping meals. Also now known as intermittent fasting now. One meal skipping lead to multiple meals, to one meal a day, to a day to seven days of fasting. I did this all for spiritual reasons and found tremendous clarity in thought. Now I also prayed, but if you are not a spiritual person it will also clear your mind by keeping you free of thinking of what you want to eat, preparing it, eating it, digesting it, cleaning up after you eat. Lot more blood and free time to think on things and get clarity.

We have an addiction to food, rightly so as we need it to live, but the body has the ability to heal itself if we would just let it rest. I did my fasting on my own out of need. This video gives the science you will not find much of in Western Medicine, as you can not charge for fasting, but reassures you it is a real source of healing and science is behind you.

Although I disagree with some of what they say in this video, like fasting alone, I would recommend trying to get someone who has fasted to give you advice. A doctor or fasting clinic would be great, especially for fasts longer than three days, but you can do it on your own with a little research.

Either way, start fasting now so you can understand how your body works and reacts to fasting so when you need it for medical reasons you will feel capable of fasting. Fasting is so empowering! I can not express how crucial I believe it is to all, both to the spiritual and the not spiritual. I would encourage you to fast regularly!

For the Christians, out there Jesus says Matthew 6:16-18 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Now, these are Jesus' words. When you fast, not if you fast. Be encouraged for those who are spiritual and those yet to discover the spiritual benifits of fasting!
4 people found this helpful
cautiousbuyerReviewed in the United States on July 7, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars
FASTING SEEMS CURE OF THE FUTURE
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I saw this movie in Russian on youtube and then found it in English on Amazon Prime,so that I could show it to my husband. For being a Russian orthodox it was not something new to me that fasting is very beneficial, as it is being practiced by my religion for centuries, and several times in my life when I was younger I was practicing 1 day fasting per week, after which I felt terrific. But this movie totally changed my mind about fasting and inspired me to do a longer fasting on my own. In fact I found it very helpful to get prepared myself physically and mentally to do this on my own with a great success! The chance to try came soon after. I got very sick with a terrible flue last spring with a lot of complications and was sick like a dog after having completed a full course of antibiotics for my lungs and kidneys. The cough never went away and my old pains, like arthritis, migraine, soar throat and stomach problems came back. So I was feeling so bad and so desperate, that decided to try this radical treatment. It was tough for the first 3 days, as if my flue came back with fever, terrible head ache and being nauseated during the 3rd day. But I woke up on the 4th day feeling very healthy and happy! I got the clues how to stand to the "acedotated criz' they are talking about in the movie with alkaline water and soda baths as well as exercises and was rewarded with a lot of unexpected discoveries in my body. Just in 6 days of my water fasting I got rid of terrible cough and asthma attacks, cured completely one of my knees arthritis and the swelling on the other knee reduced in size by 2 times, Then I found out that a bump on my neck, that I had had for years, disappeared, and a couple of my skin lesions, that had been treated by a skin doctor several times with no success, fell off . In general after fasting the skin feels terrific, in years it was the first time I did not have any itchiness because of almost every food I
tried. My hormone balance came to normal too. The movie goes deep into the scientific evidence of the fasting benefits based on 3 clinics data in 3 different countries working independently and being unaware of each other's existence. THANK YOU AMAZON FOR POSTING THIS GREAT DOCUMENTARY! I feel so much in control of my own health now! And I swear, it is a terrific feeling!
12 people found this helpful
PatReviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fasting is much easier than you might think, especially if you're already eating a ketogenic diet
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It's a good introductory documentary on fasting, but I wish they would have gone into the actual science a bit more. Maybe a bit more about autophagy and apoptosis mechanisms that are invoked by fasting.

Fasting is the oldest "prescription" in medicine, next to modulating your diet (Let food be your medicine, and let medicine be your food). This is why fasting is featured in so many religions around the world, as it is very ancient.

A way of eating that "simulates" fasting, is the ketogenic diet. Basically, your metabolism works the same, except that you are getting your fat fuel externally from eating. It is also MUCH easier to fast if you are doing a ketogenic type of diet, as your body doesn't have to make an enormous metabolic shift in the first two or three days of the fast (the hardest part), as it is already use to using ketones as fuel instead of glucose.

I was surprised that they said it needed to be done under a MD's supervision. Actually it's pretty easy to fast. Just don't eat anything.... The only time you have to be concerned is if you are either a type 1 diabetic, you suffer from hypoglycemia, or have some other genetic disease that affects metabolism. Fasting "can" be dangerous for people with those conditions (i.e. ketoacidosis, not to be confused with "ketosis"), and needs to be done under a doctor's very close supervision.

The other thing you need to know is to take magnesium (citrate) and potassium supplementation before and during your fast, and to also take salt pills. Since you're not eating, you're not getting any of those, and you need them because you'll be drinking a lot of water (upwards of a gallon a day), and you don't want to loose all your electrolytes via urination.

BTW, I'm currently on my regular 60+ hour weekend fast, which I do from after supper on Friday, until Monday morning "breakfast".... Otherwise, I usually only eat one meal a day (supper), which means I intermittent fast for 24 on most days between Monday & Friday. I'm currently debating whether I should do my normal 60 hours, or go on a full week long fast (168 hours) so I that I can eat on the weekends during Christmas/new years. It might also break me into "Onederland" (was originally 300+ LBS a bit over two years ago). I haven't been there in 30 years.

Get Dr Jason Fung's book on fasting, if you really want to do a deep dive on this subject. He also has some youtube videos you can watch for free....
12 people found this helpful
Ben C.Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars
Formula for keeping your doc away...
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Great documentary! Very informative and insightful to our current healthcare crises.
Kudos to Russian psychologists/scientists for shedding light to our rampant "Modern Diseases.".
And to those Calif young biologists as well.
Each one of us has different and unique perspective in life.
I used to be skeptical for years about fasting.
After watching this, it forevermore validates my belief that fasting is one of the best approaches to solving some of the diseases--plaguing Americans.
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes along with Cholesterol complication, and I was told to prepare for a lifelong prescription if the next AC1's still in negative.
A few weeks after that grim diagnostic, I fell so ill coming back from a business trip, and had to be bedridden for 6 days. I couldn't eat anything for that duration; actually had no appetite for anything at all.
My weight came down to 136lb from 170lb.
Legs' muscle and belly had shrunk significantly! (just like what this video had briefly showed the side-effects of fasting: 24hr glucose used up and muscle being consumed as the results)
Short story: As I recovered, my diet strayed from normal for remaining 3 weeks leading up to retaking diabetic blood check. Surprisingly, test results showed my 290+ range was back down to acceptable range, while Lipid was in better range as well.
So fasting (thanks to sudden freak illness), I must say, is quite an effective remedy to some of our health predicaments.

Please watch this in its entirety.
You definitely can learn from what Russian doctors have done for their patients.
Although that 2-3 weeks fasting is quite an extreme for most of us.
You just have to learn and adopt what you can based on your current situation.

Fasting suggestion:
--"One" meal only per every two or three days out of given week. Then graduating to next level if so you can choose.
(Your brain will play trick on you, but stick to it based on what you have seen from this video).
--30-45min exercise a day. "Resistant Training" is my favorite if outdoor is not feasible.
--Sauna (or massage) is luxury if you can.
--Sun exposure, 5-10min a day, is necessary too.
My retest has kept in check for a long while now, as I have learned to incorporate fasting into my diet/exercise routine; I have cause for refusal to take any prescription..Yahoo!

I wish our doctors can learn from Russians instead of sticking everyone on pills whenever they see fit.
I can see some of common illnesses can be tended to with your own initiative. "Sanogenesis" has been well=researched and documented by Harvard Medical and other leading Medical Institutions.
Then our healthcare system isn't too out of wack as it is now.
38 people found this helpful
Rex LundströmReviewed in the United States on December 3, 2017
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of missing info, I worry someone watching may fast incorrectly
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Although this video certainly deserves credit for helping to spread the message of fasting, there is no shortage of important details that are missing.

1. Salt. If you want fasting to be easy, put a pinch of salt on your tongue every few hours or whenever light-headedness comes up. The reason? Distilled, non-salty water is an insulator, but saltwater is a conductor. Therefore, the brain struggles to send its electric signals throughout the body when salt isn't present (this is especially true during a fast for reasons I won't get into)

2. The body "burns muscle" while fasting. I'll admit, I only got a third of the way through this video, because stuff one already knows isn't super fascinating, but I did see the part about energy sources. Yes, the body can run off of glucose, protein, and fat (and alcohol). However, the concept she explained about the body going primarily into the muscles for making new glucose when there is no intake of glucose is incorrect.

Our liver doesn't target muscle when it undergoes gluconeogenesis (the process of converting proteins into glucose), it targets other sources, which believe it or not there are many. For example, your skin is made up of protein. Have you ever noticed that prisoners in WW2 who were starving didn't seem to have any loose skin left over after their extreme weight loss? This is because of the process called autophagy (self-eating) where the body searches around for any old junky cells that aren't being used and recycles them for parts. This is also hypothesized to be why fasting has a remarkably positive effect on Alzheimer's and dementia. The idea is that those with neuro-degenerative diseases actually have brains that are gunked up with loose proteins. When these patients fast, they enter a state of autophagy after around 36 hours and their brains start to physically clear. Furthermore, they are supplied with ketone bodies created from fats which is like jet fuel for the brain and the most likely cause of euphoria during extended fasts.

I could have kept watching at this point but I didn't. I sincerely hope this documentary didn't try and explain how they break a fast, because people always get it wrong. I just recently fasted for two weeks and then had around 4000-5000 calories on my eating day. If you eat the right things, then nothing bad will happen. Because during a fast you are running almost entirely off of fat and protein, shocking your body with sugar (including trying to break it with juice) is extremely foolish. One should end a fast with a fatty meal that has protein as well. ie a French omelet made with lots of butter, bone broth with butter, fatty meat, or perhaps even fatty fish, although I have not tried the latter.

If anyone wants a good source of info on fasting, listen to Jason Fung, or get his book "The Complete Guide to Fasting". He runs the most practical and effective fasting clinic that I know of.
75 people found this helpful
varnukeReviewed in the United States on December 26, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fasting is not quackery, but very Biblical, and IT WORKS!
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The Soviets, Europe and Far East are not as 'drug based' in their approach to medicine as the U.S. FDA approved drugs are killing more people and decreasing the quality of life the more they are consumed. The Bible covers fasting as a part of life.

I watched this video and thought I'd give it a try, starting Monday, December 18th, and go for 10 days. Last day is tomorrow. I did seven days with just mineral water mixed with some 25-year old balsam vinegar. On Saturday, 23 December, was my last day of just water and vinegar. I added broth on Sunday, along with the water.

I am two months shy of 69 years old, and have had prostate problems for the last few years or more. The last three nights I have not had to get up to urinate the whole night. Prior to that I had been getting up 5-6 times a night to go. I noticed when I woke up Friday morning that my right side hurt throughout the day, but the pain migrated around my right side to my back and then disappeared. Don't think it was muscular skeletal, but it did not seem to be very deep in my body. Not getting up to go to the bathroom nightly is a real benefit that can only be attributed to my fasting. I value personal clinical proof more than scientific studies or FDA approval.

Now I heard that the FDA is looking at regulating Homeopathy, which my wife (an OB/GYN physician) and I have been using since the 80's. She has even used it several times for some of her patients with success, where Emetrol and Phenergan failed to stop their emesis. Acupuncture and herbal remedies (Western and Eastern) work well too.

Let those who want to choose to die using FDA approved poisons, without the natural bindings occurring in nature's cures that don't harm or do damage to other organs, suffer by not using naturally safe cures. It's a personal choice, still, but the government (controlled by the big drug pharma) is always trying to eliminate natural relatively low-cost remedies every time we turn around.
5 people found this helpful
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