What happens to your body when you skip food for 3 days?
The cardiovascular, metabolic and hormonal changes accompanying acute starvation in men and women
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Metabolic rate increases temporarily during starvation
Common belief is that metabolism slows during fasting to conserve energy, but this study shows a 6% increase at 36 hours — which contradicts the typical 'starvation mode' narrative.
Practical Takeaways
If you're doing intermittent fasting, know that your metabolism might temporarily increase for about 1.5 days before stabilizing — but don't expect continuous calorie burn boost.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Metabolic rate increases temporarily during starvation
Common belief is that metabolism slows during fasting to conserve energy, but this study shows a 6% increase at 36 hours — which contradicts the typical 'starvation mode' narrative.
Practical Takeaways
If you're doing intermittent fasting, know that your metabolism might temporarily increase for about 1.5 days before stabilizing — but don't expect continuous calorie burn boost.
Publication
Journal
British Journal of Nutrition
Year
1994
Authors
J. Webber, I. Macdonald