Is fasting usually mostly unhealthy or are there certain possible health benefits to it?

Fasting for a week? You haven’t eaten anything for a week?

Some people argue regular fasting is good for you. Some say it is a good way to lose weight. But, no one I know of thinks it is wise to fast for a week. They fast for a day maybe once a week. At least that is the most extreme I have heard. Most people and many medical professionals think fasting is a bad idea and can slow your metobolism permanently. Fasting also means you are not getting the vitamins and minerals you need. If you don’t die from starvation you could develop serious nutritional deficiencies. Are you very overweight?

Stop fasting, right now. Your body needs nutrition. Furthermore, that weight loss is going to be very temporary. Your body has gone into starvation mode. Next time you eat it is going to store those calories away as efficiently as possible, making you gain weight faster.

Don’t fast. Just don’t. It doesn’t do anything good for you unless you’ve been instructed by a doctor to fast for some particular reason.

Note: fasting does not necessarily mean total abstinence from nutrition. Fasts can be more or less restrictive, so we shouldn’t jump to conclusions here.

Fasting is controversial within the medical community. That said, there is no evidence that intermittent fasting—that is, extending the period between meals—is harmful to the body (assuming a lack of special issues relating to the digestive tract). Moreover, it can give your body a chance to prepare itself for newer and healthier eating habits.

Fasting is not typically recommended for the specific purpose of weight loss, but it can help break food addictions (and, according to some, drug addictions due to the mental discipline it teaches). Breaking food addictions and taking on better eating habits afterwards can help with general health, including weight loss, by leading to a diet that is less likely to increase blood pressure and blood sugar.

While it is perhaps not the best source, here is a WebMD article about fasting.

I second @SavoirFaire. Though @Mariah makes several good and factual points. I didn’t check out the link so just in case you didn’t do research prior to fasting remember you must break your fast slowly. It depends on what type of fast you are on but usually start with watered down fruit juice broth and move up from there. Slowly so as not to upset your system.

Unhealthy. There are some rat studies that suggest fasting for a day at a time might be beneficial.

Any weight lost during fasting will be gained back as soon as you start eating like a normal human being again.

Our bodies need food to thrive. Denying your body food is extremely unhealthy.

It depends on the type of fasting. Ramadan fasting for example is rather unhealthy.

It messes up your metabolism. Not a good idea. It’s better to change your eating habits to healthier ones. Information