THE FUTURE IS FASTING: Awaken the Machine

Written By Joe Revibe

The global weight loss market is booming, but an ancient practice has reemerged as the crown jewel of health optimization: fasting. From Silicon Valley biohackers to leading medical researchers, fasting is being hailed not just as a tool for weight management but as a key to unlocking cellular rejuvenation, longevity, and vitality.

Let's go beyond the basics and explore the real science, technologies, supplements, and experts advancing the fasting movement.

Understanding the Biological Symphony of Fasting

When we fast, a remarkable cascade of biological processes is initiated:

  • Autophagy Activation: Fasting triggers autophagy, the "cellular recycling" process where cells clean out damaged components and dysfunctional proteins. Nobel Prize-winning scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi illuminated this mechanism in 2016, showing how essential autophagy is to disease prevention and longevity.

  • Stem Cell Regeneration: Extended fasting (48-72 hours) has been shown to stimulate the production of new stem cells, aiding tissue repair and immune system rejuvenation.

  • Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Production: Fasting can spike HGH levels by up to 5x, promoting fat burning, muscle preservation, and anti-aging benefits. HGH supports metabolism, recovery, and youthful body composition.

  • mTOR and AMPK Pathways: Fasting inhibits mTOR (linked to growth and aging) and activates AMPK (the body's cellular "energy sensor"), switching the body from a state of growth into a state of repair and optimization.

  • Ketogenesis: By depleting glycogen stores, fasting shifts the body into ketosis, where fat becomes the primary fuel source. This enhances brain function, mitochondrial efficiency, and metabolic health.

  • Senescent Cell Clearance: Fasting may help eliminate "zombie" cells (senescent cells) that promote inflammation and aging.

Popular Types of Fasts

Different fasting styles suit different goals and lifestyles. Some of the most respected protocols include:

  • Intermittent Fasting (16:8, 18:6, or OMAD):
    Eating within a compressed window (e.g., 8 hours) to trigger daily autophagy, stabilize insulin levels, and improve metabolic flexibility.

  • Water Fasting (24–72 Hours):
    Consuming only water for an extended period to maximize autophagy, boost human growth hormone (HGH) production, and stimulate stem cell activation.

  • Electrolyte Fasting:
    Similar to water fasting but includes sodium, potassium, and magnesium to prevent electrolyte imbalances, maintain hydration, and sustain cellular energy during extended fasts.

  • Bone Broth Fasting:
    Consuming mineral-rich bone broth, which provides collagen, amino acids like glycine, and electrolytes. Supports gut lining repair and joint health while maintaining a quasi-fasting state.

  • Juice Fasting:
    Limited to cold-pressed vegetable juices for micronutrient replenishment. Offers antioxidant and vitamin support, though it may suppress deep autophagy compared to stricter fasts.

  • The 3-Day (72-Hour) Fast:
    A full 72-hour water or electrolyte fast initiates profound biological changes (DO IT!):

    • Autophagy Deepens: Cellular cleanup processes intensify, removing damaged proteins, dysfunctional mitochondria, and cellular debris.

    • HGH Surges: Human Growth Hormone levels can spike up to 5x, promoting fat burning, muscle preservation, and tissue regeneration.

    • Immune System Reboot: Research from Dr. Valter Longo shows that a 72-hour fast can regenerate the immune system by clearing out old immune cells and stimulating the production of new, more efficient ones.

    • Stem Cell Activation: Prolonged fasting triggers stem cell pathways, promoting regeneration in tissues such as the gut lining, skin, and muscles.

    • Enhanced Insulin Sensitivity: The body's insulin response recalibrates, improving glucose control and reducing inflammation.

    • Ketogenesis Peaks: By 72 hours, ketone production reaches high levels, fueling the brain and body with clean, efficient energy while protecting neurons from oxidative stress.

Leading Scientists and Experts Advocating Fasting

Dr. Pradip Jamnadas - The Cardiologist Championing Fasting for Metabolic Health

  • 🔗 Website: Cardiovascular Interventions Orlando

  • 📱 Instagram: @drpradipjamnadas

  • 📺 YouTube: Dr. Pradip Jamnadas on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Pradip Jamnadas

  • 🎓 Degrees: M.D., Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease, FACC, FSCAI

  • 🏆 Awards: Top Doctor Award (Orlando Magazine), Teaching Award (Orlando Health)

    • Dr. Pradip Jamnadas is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and founder of Cardiovascular Interventions in Orlando. A leading advocate for therapeutic fasting, he teaches how fasting can reverse insulin resistance, stimulate stem cell regeneration, and dramatically lower inflammation. Through lectures like "Fasting for Survival", Dr. Jamnadas blends cutting-edge cardiology with lifestyle medicine, empowering patients to heal and thrive from the cellular level up.

      • “Chronic diseases are not a deficiency of medications. They are a surplus of food, toxins, and time without repair. Fasting is the antidote.” - Dr. Pradip Jamnadas

      • “Food is not just sustenance — it's a powerful drug. When you remove it strategically through fasting, you activate the deepest healing pathways known to biology.” - Dr. Pradip Jamnadas

      • “It’s not starvation; it’s cellular rejuvenation. When you fast, you are not depriving yourself — you are liberating yourself.” - Dr. Pradip Jamnadas

Dr. Valter Longo, Ph.D. – Longevity Researcher & Fasting Pioneer

  • 🔗 Website: Valter Longo Foundation

  • 📱 Instagram: @prof_valterlongo

  • 📺 YouTube: Valter Longo on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Valter Longo

  • 🎓 Degrees: Ph.D. in Biochemistry (University of Cal), B.S. in Microbiology (University of North Texas)

  • 🏆 Awards: Time Magazine’s 50 Most Influential People in Health Care, Nathan Shock Lecture Award

    • Dr. Valter Longo is a world-renowned biochemist and professor celebrated for pioneering the Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD), a revolutionary protocol that delivers fasting's benefits without complete food deprivation. His research shows that fasting cycles can trigger autophagy, enhance stem cell regeneration, reduce inflammation, and lower the risk of age-related diseases like cancer and diabetes. His bestselling book, The Longevity Diet, distills decades of science into actionable steps for extending both lifespan and healthspan. Dr. Longo’s work bridges laboratory breakthroughs with real-world wellness strategies, empowering people to thrive longer and healthier.

      • “Fasting triggers the body's natural ability to regenerate itself. It is the most powerful intervention we have for longevity, next to genetics.” - Dr. Valter Longo, Ph.D.

Dr. David Sinclair, Ph.D. – Geneticist & Longevity Research Visionary

  • 🔗 Website: https://genetics.med.harvard.edu/sinclair/people/sinclair/

  • 📱 Instagram: @davidsinclairphd

  • 🎥 YouTube Channel: David Sinclair on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: David Sinclair LinkedIn

  • 🏆 Awards: Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (2014), Australian Medical Research Medal, NIH MERIT Award

    • Dr. David Sinclair, Ph.D. is a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School and a globally acclaimed leader in aging and cellular rejuvenation science. His groundbreaking research focuses on sirtuins, NAD+ metabolism, and epigenetic reprogramming, critical pathways that regulate aging, disease resistance, DNA repair, and mitochondrial vitality. Sinclair’s work has reshaped how scientists view aging, healthspan, and cellular resilience.

    • His findings reveal that fasting naturally boosts NAD+ levels and activates sirtuins, triggering powerful biological mechanisms that repair DNA, enhance mitochondrial function, and extend healthspan. Sinclair’s bestselling book, Lifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To, distills decades of science into actionable strategies for delaying, and potentially reversing, biological aging.

      • "Fasting turns on longevity genes. It is nature’s built-in survival mode, activating sirtuins, repairing DNA, and making us biologically younger." - Dr. David Sinclair, Ph.D

Dr. Jason Fung - The Obesity Code

  • 🔗 Website: https://www.dietdoctor.com/authors/dr-jason-fung-m-d

  • 📱 Instagram: @drjasonfung

  • 🎥 YouTube Channel: Jason Fung on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Jason Fung LinkedIn

  • 🏆 Awards: International Bestselling Author, Featured Expert on CNN, BBC, CBC, TEDx

    • Dr. Jason Fung is a Canadian nephrologist and a global pioneer in the clinical use of therapeutic fasting. Author of The Obesity Code and The Complete Guide to Fasting, Dr. Fung revolutionized the understanding of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes by advocating fasting as a primary intervention over calorie restriction and medication.

    • His work demonstrates how intermittent fasting can reverse type 2 diabetes, restore metabolic health, promote fat loss, lower insulin levels, enhance autophagy, regenerate pancreatic beta cells, and boost metabolic flexibility, positioning fasting as a cornerstone strategy for longevity, disease prevention, and natural healing.

      • “Fasting isn’t about eating less. It’s about eating less often to allow your body the time it needs to heal, regenerate, and thrive.” - Dr. Jason Fung

Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. – Neuroscientist & Human Performance Educator

  • 🔗 Website: hubermanlab.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @hubermanlab

  • 🎥 YouTube Channel: Huberman Lab on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Andrew Huberman LinkedIn

  • 🏆 Awards: ARVO Cogan Award for Contributions to Vision Science, Featured in Time, Wired, and The New York Times for Health and Neuroscience Education

    • Andrew Huberman is one of today’s most influential voices in human performance, optimization, and wellness education. His research spans brain plasticity, stress adaptation, and how lifestyle tools like fasting can profoundly impact neurological health, hormone regulation, and longevity.

    • Huberman emphasizes that intermittent fasting, proper circadian rhythm management, and glucose regulation are vital for enhancing cognitive clarity, mitochondrial resilience, and healthy aging. Through his Huberman Lab Podcast and research outreach, he has made complex neuroscience actionable, advocating fasting as a tool to improve mental sharpness, increase autophagy, optimize hormonal balance, and extend overall healthspan.

      • “Time-restricted feeding and fasting synchronize our biology to our natural circadian rhythms, enhancing cognitive function, metabolism, and even emotional resilience.” - Andrew Huberman, Ph.D.

Gary Brecka – Human Biologist & Longevity Expert

  • 🔗 Website: garybrecka.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @garybrecka

  • 🎥 YouTube Channel: Gary Brecka on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Gary Brecka LinkedIn

  • 🏆 Awards: Co-Founder of 10X Health System, Health Optimization Thought Leader

    • Gary Brecka is a human biologist and a leading figure in health optimization, specializing in fasting, epigenetics, and mitochondrial restoration. Brecka champions 72-hour water fasts, strategic intermittent fasting, and precision electrolyte supplementation to trigger deep autophagy, boost human growth hormone (HGH) production, enhance mitochondrial efficiency, and regenerate cellular health.

    • Brecka’s teachings emphasize that fasting, when paired with mineral support, is one of the most powerful tools for DNA repair, inflammation reduction, and true healthspan extension. His famous mantra, "You’re not fasting unless you're salting," highlights the critical role electrolytes play in sustaining safe, effective, and transformative fasts.

      • “You don’t heal by putting more in. You heal by taking away what’s harming you, fasting is the ultimate reset for human biology.” - Gary Brecka

Dave Asprey – Biohacking Pioneer & Longevity Entrepreneur

  • 🔗 Website: daveasprey.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @dave.asprey

  • 🎥 YouTube Channel: Dave Asprey on YouTube

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Dave Asprey LinkedIn

  • 🏆 Awards: Founder of Bulletproof 360, Biohacking Movement, New York Times Bestselling Author

    • Dave Asprey is widely recognized as the "Father of Biohacking" and a driving force behind the modern wellness optimization movement

    • Asprey is passionate about strategic fasting, including intermittent fasting and longer multi-day fasts, as tools to accelerate fat loss, enhance mitochondrial performance, increase autophagy, and improve brain function. He combines fasting protocols with technologies like red light therapy, cryotherapy, and smart supplementation to maximize cellular regeneration and reverse biological aging.

      • “Fasting makes you stronger, not weaker. It's the gateway to higher energy, sharper thinking, and a body that resists aging.” - Dave Asprey

Top Fasting Apps and Digital Tools

Zero – Fasting Made Simple

Zero is the #1 fasting tracker globally, offering customizable fasting windows, daily coaching tips, advanced analytics, and expert content to guide beginners and seasoned fasters alike. It's beautifully designed for effortless fasting.

Fastic – Wellness + Fasting Combined

Fastic blends fasting tracking with full wellness support, including meal planning, hydration reminders, breathwork practices, and fitness integrations. Ideal for those who want an all-in-one holistic health app beyond just fasting timers.

DoFasting – Personalization Meets Fasting

DoFasting provides highly personalized fasting plans based on your goals, plus healthy recipes, home workout programs, and daily challenges to stay motivated. Perfect for those who want structured guidance and lifestyle coaching alongside fasting.

Essential Supplements and Electrolytes for Fasting

Electrolyte management is crucial, especially for fasts over 24 hours:

Elemental Labs LMNT – No Sugar, All Performance

  • 🔗 Website: drinklmnt.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @drinklmnt

  • 💼 LinkedIn: LMNT

  • 🛒 Shop: Buy LMNT

    • Designed by elite athletes, LMNT offers a zero-sugar, high-sodium, potassium, and magnesium blend that's perfect for supporting hydration and energy during extended fasts. It's ultra-clean, with no fillers or artificial ingredients.

Redmond Re-Lyte – Mineral-Rich Hydration

  • 🔗 Website: redmond.life

  • 📱 Instagram: @redmondrelyte

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Redmond Life

  • 🛒 Shop: Re-Lyte

    • Formulated from ancient sea salt and boosted with magnesium, potassium, and calcium, Re-Lyte delivers natural electrolyte balance without synthetic additives. Ideal for mineral replenishment on multi-day water fasts.

Trace Minerals Research – Deep Trace Element Support

  • 🔗 Website: traceminerals.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @traceminerals

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Trace Minerals Research

  • 🛒 Shop: Trace Minerals

    • With 72 trace minerals harvested from Utah’s Great Salt Lake, Trace Minerals Research provides advanced electrolyte stamina products that help maintain energy, focus, and endurance during prolonged fasting protocols.

Jigsaw Health Electrolyte Supreme – Balanced Cellular Fuel

Molecular Hydrogen Tablets - Antioxidant support during oxidative stress phases of fasting

Active H2® Ultra – Molecular Hydrogen for Fasting Optimization

  • 🔗 Website: Water & Wellness

  • 📱 Instagram: @waterandwellness

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Water & Wellness LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: Active H2 Ultra Tablets

    • Active H2® Ultra tablets deliver molecular hydrogen directly into your water, generating a powerful antioxidant gas that supports fasting and cellular recovery. By boosting mitochondrial energy, enhancing autophagy, reducing oxidative stress, and improving cognitive clarity, Active H2® Ultra helps deepen the benefits of extended fasts. Formulated with magnesium and proprietary synergistic ingredients, these tablets are ideal for promoting longevity, protecting organs, and optimizing healthspan during fasted states.

Dr. Mercola H2 – Molecular Hydrogen for Cellular Health

  • 🔗 Website: Dr. Mercola

  • 📱 Instagram: @drmercola

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Mercola LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop:Dr. Mercola H2 Tablets

    • Dr. Mercola’s H2 tablets generate hydrogen-rich water designed to combat oxidative stress, protect mitochondria, and support cognitive clarity. Ideal for fasting periods, these tablets enhance cellular energy, promote faster recovery, and reduce inflammation. Backed by Dr. Mercola’s focus on natural health optimization, H2 supplementation offers a convenient way to deepen the autophagic and regenerative effects of intermittent and extended fasting.

Berberine - AMPK activator mimicking fasting benefits

Thorne Berberine – Advanced Metabolic Support

  • 🔗 Website: Thorne

  • 📱 Instagram: @thornesupplements

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Thorne HealthTech LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: Thorne Berberine Capsules

    • Thorne’s Berberine capsules deliver high-purity berberine HCl to optimize blood sugar metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health. By activating AMPK, the body’s “master switch” for energy balance, berberine mimics the effects of fasting and exercise at the cellular level, enhancing autophagy and fat burning without breaking the fast. Ideal for those practicing intermittent or extended fasting to boost cellular repair, metabolic flexibility, and fat loss.

Double Wood Dihydroberberine – Superior Blood Sugar & Fasting Support

  • 🔗 Website: Double Wood Supplements

  • 📱 Instagram: @doublewoodsupplements

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Double Wood Supplements LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: Double Wood Dihydroberberine Capsules

    • Double Wood’s Dihydroberberine uses GlucoVantage®, a patented form that’s up to 5x more bioavailable than regular berberine with fewer digestive side effects. It activates AMPK more efficiently, helping regulate blood sugar, boost fat metabolism, and protect mitochondrial health. By mimicking fasting at the cellular level, it deepens autophagy, accelerates fat loss, and enhances metabolic repair, without breaking the fast. Ideal for faster, stronger results during intermittent or extended fasting.

Exogenous Ketone Supplements - Enter Ketosis Faster and Stronger - Boost Energy, Stay Sharp, and Skip the Fatigue, Mental Fog, and Keto Flu

Perfect Keto – Ideal for Beginners & Everyday Use

  • 🔗 Website: Perfect Keto

  • 📱 Instagram: @perfectketo

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Perfect Keto LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: Perfect Keto Exogenous Ketones

    • Perfect Keto’s Exogenous Ketone Base delivers high-quality BHB salts designed to quickly elevate ketone levels, helping the body shift into ketosis more efficiently during fasting. By supplying an immediate source of clean energy without breaking the fast, it eases "keto flu" symptoms, curbs hunger, and supports steady mental clarity and fat burning. The added electrolytes help maintain hydration, making fasting more comfortable and sustainable, especially for beginners adapting to lower glucose availability. Perfect Keto’s clean, carb-free formula enhances metabolic flexibility, accelerating the benefits of both intermittent and extended fasting.

KetoneAid KE4 – Elite Ketone Ester for Fasting & Performance

  • 🔗 Website: KetoneAid

  • 📱 Instagram: @ketoneaid

  • 💼 LinkedIn: KetoneAid LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: KetoneAid KE4 Ketone Ester

    • KetoneAid’s KE4 delivers a pure D-β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) ketone ester, providing rapid and efficient elevation of blood ketone levels. Unlike BHB salts, KE4's ester form ensures up to 5x greater bioavailability, facilitating immediate energy without the need for carbohydrate intake. This makes it an exceptional tool for those practicing intermittent or extended fasting, as it supports ketosis without breaking the fast. By supplying a direct energy source, KE4 helps mitigate common fasting challenges such as fatigue and mental fog, enhancing cognitive function and metabolic performance. Ideal for athletes, biohackers, and individuals seeking to optimize their fasting regimen with a potent, research-backed supplement.

Innovative Brands and Tech Empowering Fasters

ProLon – Fasting-Mimicking Meal Kits by Dr. Valter Longo

  • 🔗 Website: ProLonFMD.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @prolonfmd

  • 💼 LinkedIn: ProLon LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: ProLon Meal Kits

    • ProLon’s Fasting-Mimicking Meal Kits, developed by renowned longevity researcher Dr. Valter Longo, deliver scientifically formulated meals that nourish the body while preserving the metabolic benefits of fasting. Designed to replicate the effects of a 5-day water fast without complete food deprivation, ProLon promotes autophagy, fat loss, and cellular rejuvenation while minimizing hunger and fatigue. By supporting ketosis and cellular repair without activating the body's nutrient-sensing pathways, ProLon offers a practical, research-backed solution for achieving the regenerative benefits of fasting.

Lumen – Handheld Metabolism Tracker for Fasting & Fuel Optimization

  • 🔗 Website: Lumen.me

  • 📱 Instagram: @lumen.me

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Lumen LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: Lumen Device

    • Lumen’s handheld metabolism tracker analyzes your breath in real time to measure whether your body is burning fats or carbohydrates for fuel. By offering immediate metabolic feedback, Lumen helps optimize fasting strategies, personalize nutrition, and improve metabolic flexibility. During fasting periods, it allows users to track their shift into fat-burning mode, adjust fasting windows, and fine-tune macronutrient intake for better energy and weight management. Developed with cutting-edge CO₂ sensor technology and backed by clinical studies, Lumen empowers individuals to make smarter decisions for enhanced fasting performance and long-term metabolic health.

Levels Health – Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Fasting, Exercise & Nutrition

  • 🔗 Website: LevelsHealth.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @levels

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Levels Health LinkedIn

  • 📱 IOS App: Levels CGM

    • Levels Health uses continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology to provide real-time insights into how fasting, exercise, and food choices impact your blood sugar and metabolism. By tracking glucose responses throughout the day, Levels helps users fine-tune fasting strategies, optimize workout timing, and personalize nutrition for better fat-burning, energy stability, and metabolic flexibility. Ideal for those seeking data-driven fasting, weight management, or performance optimization, Levels empowers individuals to make smarter, more informed decisions based on their unique metabolic patterns, not generic advice.

Keto-Mojo – Blood Ketone and Glucose Meters for Real-Time Metabolic Feedback

  • 🔗 Website: Keto-Mojo.com

  • 📱 Instagram: @keto.mojo

  • 💼 LinkedIn: Keto-Mojo LinkedIn

  • 🛒 Shop: Keto-Mojo Meters

    • Keto-Mojo’s blood ketone and glucose meters deliver accurate, real-time metabolic feedback, empowering users to fine-tune fasting, ketogenic diets, and overall metabolic health. By measuring both ketone and glucose levels from a simple fingerstick, Keto-Mojo provides immediate insights into fat-burning states, glucose stability, and the effectiveness of fasting strategies. Paired with a free companion app that syncs results and tracks trends, Keto-Mojo helps individuals optimize their fasting windows, dial in nutrition plans, and achieve greater metabolic flexibility.

Conclusion: Fasting as the Vanguard of Healthspan Optimization

The future belongs to those who master metabolic flexibility. Fasting is not just an ancient ritual; it is an advanced biohacking strategy backed by robust science.

By understanding and leveraging autophagy, HGH, stem cell activation, mitochondrial renewal, and ketogenesis, we unlock pathways to greater energy, disease resistance, mental clarity, and longevity.

Fasting is no longer just a weight loss tool. It is a sacred ritual for those who choose to live longer, think sharper, and evolve higher.

Joe Revibe
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