# Water Fasting



## Amal (Jan 26, 2017)

Does anyone have any experience with Water Fasting. I'm a type one and am thinking of doing this but am worried about getting ketones. Is this safe? How does it work?


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## grovesy (Jan 26, 2017)

What is it? You don't mean going without water for hours/


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## Northerner (Jan 26, 2017)

Why do you want to do it Amal? I haven't heard of it, does it mean not eating and just drinking water for a day? What insulin are you using?


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## Kaylz (Jan 26, 2017)

I've just had a look on wiki and I wouldn't do it there are no proven detoxification or anything however there is evidence of harmful side effects x


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## Martin Canty (Jan 26, 2017)

Ketones would more than likely occur as you would be burning fat for energy, however nutritional ketosis is fine but I would check just in case they are rising out of optimal ketosis.

Now, on the other hand I would be concerned about insulin as you are T1, I don't have any experience personally of using insulin so I can't speak to this issue.


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## Ditto (Jan 26, 2017)

That would make me very ill. When I tried to diet too strictly back in the day I'd always have a bad reaction ie chest pain.


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## Amal (Jan 27, 2017)

grovesy said:


> What is it? You don't mean going without water for hours/



Sorry, I should have explained further. Basically fasting from food and only drinking water/liquids.


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## Amal (Jan 27, 2017)

Majority of the reviews I've read of type 1's who have done this have developed Ketones (high amounts) but have managed to detox their body and loose a significant amount of weight. My concern is the Ketones that develop during the fast even though it's a short period of time (3 days to a week). I have my reservations so far, but was wondering if anyone one else went on a no food fast??


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## Northerner (Jan 27, 2017)

Amal said:


> Majority of the reviews I've read of type 1's who have done this have developed Ketones (high amounts) but have managed to detox their body and loose a significant amount of weight. My concern is the Ketones that develop during the fast even though it's a short period of time (3 days to a week). I have my reservations so far, but was wondering if anyone one else went on a no food fast??


Not something I would want to (or feel the need to) do @Amal. Ketones are natural by-products of burning fat in the absence of a readier source of energy, like carbs. The problem with them only comes when you don't have sufficient insulin circulating, as insulin is involved in the process that safely removes the ketones from the body - this is why DKA often develops in newly-diagnosed Type 1s, because their insulin supply has been severely depleted. People on pumps who have a problem with the pump are at risk for the same reasonTherefore, even if you are not eating, it's important to keep taking your insulin. If you are on a slow-acting and fast acting (basal/bolus) regime this would mean making sure you kept injecting this.

I would recommend speaking to your doctor or DSN before embarking on this.


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## DeusXM (Jan 27, 2017)

Right, let's get one thing clear.

Detoxing is bulls***.

Your body has a variety of organs and systems designed to remove toxins from your system. Therefore any toxins in your body that can be removed will be removed by these organs. Anything that can't be removed will still be there regardless of whether or not you fast, eat cabbage soup, only eat foods beginning with the letter K or whatever other nonsense health advice someone with a flashy website selling supplements suggests.

'Detoxing' is not a reason to do ANYTHING, because it doesn't exist.

As for losing significant amounts of weight...let's get some clarity here.

The process by which anyone's body loses fat is by metabolising it. The process of fat metabolism, for everyone, regardless of whether or not you have diabetes, produces ketones. Ketones are like smoke. They are a waste product of burning fat. And just like smoke, ketones cannot tell you if the fire that is producing them is an intentional barbecue, or your house burning down.

If ketones build up in your blood, it causes DKA. You can reduce the amount of ketones in your blood by taking insulin. Insulin, in addition to allowing your body to process glucose, mops up ketones to prevent your blood becoming too acidic.

That makes me wonder about the people you've been talking to. Either they're simply just starving themselves - which means they will have ketones by definition as their bodies need energy - or worse, they're not taking their insulin. Losing weight by not taking insulin is a recognised, serious eating disorder and I suggest simply googling 'diabulemia' will reveal a litany of stories of men and women in their late 20s who did this sort of thing for a short time as teenagers....and now they're blind, missing limbs or dead.

Sorry to really get on the high horse and sound condescending on this but this water fasting idea is monumentally stupid. It won't detox you, any weight loss you achieve on it will be at incredible risk to your health, and I also guarantee that every one those T1s who's left a review suggesting it's wonderful will be blind, legless, impotent or 6 feet under in a decade. You do NOT want to join them.

If you want to detox or lose weight, you need to make smarter dietary choices and do more exercise. That may not be the answer you want to hear, but if you're unhappy with your body or your health, you can't magically fix that in a week by not eating.


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## Redkite (Jan 27, 2017)

Wholeheartedly agree with @DeusXM.  Ketones are toxins - why would you deliberately do that to yourself?  A liquid/water diet will be lacking in essential nutrients and is just self-harm basically.  Please don't try it!


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## Mark Parrott (Jan 27, 2017)

You're body detoxes itself.  This is proven research.  This water diet is not healthy.  Please take care.


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## Amal (Jan 27, 2017)

Northerner said:


> Not something I would want to (or feel the need to) do @Amal. Ketones are natural by-products of burning fat in the absence of a readier source of energy, like carbs. The problem with them only comes when you don't have sufficient insulin circulating, as insulin is involved in the process that safely removes the ketones from the body - this is why DKA often develops in newly-diagnosed Type 1s, because their insulin supply has been severely depleted. People on pumps who have a problem with the pump are at risk for the same reasonTherefore, even if you are not eating, it's important to keep taking your insulin. If you are on a slow-acting and fast acting (basal/bolus) regime this would mean making sure you kept injecting this.
> 
> I would recommend speaking to your doctor or DSN before embarking on this.


Thanks for this. I would still inject my fast (when needed) and slow acting insulin, but wasn't sure about the whole Ketones issue, but you've clarified it for me. Thanks again


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## grovesy (Jan 27, 2017)

Sounds dodgy to me.


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## DeusXM (Jan 27, 2017)

Amal said:


> Thanks for this. I would still inject my fast (when needed) and slow acting insulin, but wasn't sure about the whole Ketones issue, but you've clarified it for me. Thanks again



This sounds very much like you've already made your mind up you're going to go ahead with it.

It won't detox you.

It won't help you lose weight (if anything, it'll make you put more on as your metabolism will shut down so slow that the next time you eat something it'll be stored as fat).

It puts you at severe risk of DKA.

It makes it very hard to control your blood sugars.

A water fast is not the answer, whatever your question may be. I cannot stress this enough.


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## Diabetes UK (Jan 27, 2017)

Hi @Amal, as others have mentioned, doing this sort of diet does put you at a health risk with T1 diabetes. I'd urge you to speak to your GP or DSN for medical advice on this before making any drastic change to your diet. Hope that helps


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## Amal (Jan 27, 2017)

DeusXM said:


> Right, let's get one thing clear.
> 
> Detoxing is bulls***.
> 
> ...



Thanks Mark,

After doing more research and getting everyone's views on here, I've now reconsidered and won't be attempting this diet. The risks seem to high


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## DeusXM (Jan 27, 2017)

Good to hear. Is there a specific issue you were hoping this would help you with? We might be able to suggest some safer options for you.


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## mikeyB (Jan 28, 2017)

Recently I had a condition where I ate nothing, but just drank water for two days. My BG was controlled, with difficulty, but even in single figures I was showing ketones. I was saved by being able to eat on the third day, but boy was I concerned about the tightrope I was walking on. A water fast is madness for T1s, suicidal even. And, like everyone else, I would say that detoxing is a dangerous myth.


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## stonky (Sep 25, 2018)

Water fasting for obese type 2 is a good way to loose weight and help reverse diabetes. I have been doing 5 day fasts once a month and it's helping to reduce my hba1c numbers. My diabetes nurse got in touch with hospital experts abt me taking meds and they said cut out gliclazide but stay on the rest. I have no negative comments abt fasting. Also using chia seeds when not fasting to help with cholesterol and it's down to 3.5 with 1 simvastatin a day.


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## travellor (Sep 25, 2018)

stonky said:


> Water fasting for obese type 2 is a good way to loose weight and help reverse diabetes. I have been doing 5 day fasts once a month and it's helping to reduce my hba1c numbers. My diabetes nurse got in touch with hospital experts abt me taking meds and they said cut out gliclazide but stay on the rest. I have no negative comments abt fasting. Also using chia seeds when not fasting to help with cholesterol and it's down to 3.5 with 1 simvastatin a day.



Sounds very bad to be honest.
Loads of posts on here about how people have ruined their metabolisms.
Whether you believe it or not is a fair point, but many still claim they need to keep calories in.
Personally, I find I work better on being calorie deficient.
But still ticking over.


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