What is the role of fasting?

Fasting plays several important roles in our body:

1. Growth Hormone Release: Fasting can lead to an increase in growth hormone levels. This happens when the hunger hormone, ghrelin, binds to the receptor in the brain that normally binds growth hormone releasing hormone. This can result in a doubling of growth hormone levels in the waking state, which can be beneficial for metabolism, fat burning, and tissue repair.

2. Metabolic Shifts: Fasting causes significant shifts in both brain and body metabolism. It puts the body into a mode of autophagy and conservation of resources, which can be beneficial to human health.

3. Cellular Repair and Clearance: Fasting promotes cellular repair and clearance processes. When you haven't eaten for a while or blood glucose is low, your system is biased toward a state of cellular repair.

Remember, while fasting can have these beneficial effects, it's important to approach it in a balanced and healthy way.