Healthcare professionals generally advise that the following people avoid intermittent fasting ( 23):

Although it don’t contain calories, many foods and beverages with salts in them do. While fasting, you should try to consume tap water, salt water, bone broth, coconut water, or Pedialyte to maintain your levels and promote weight loss. There are various ways to get this extra sodium into your body, which I’ll explain further down. What about People with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)? That should give you a little context about typical sodium intake (whether you’re trying to limit your sodium, or not). How Much Sodium / Salt Should You Consume on a Low Carb or Ketogenic Diet?

What Is Pink Salt, Anyway?

Before you ever try water fasting, you need to know how to regulate your electrolyte balance and fluid retention. This article is a guide to everything about getting enough electrolytes while fasting. Salt fast included. Are You Getting Enough Nutrients During a Fast Collier, Roger. " Intermittent Fasting: The Science of Going without." CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal 185.9 (2013): E363–E364. A 2020 study observed 1,422 people who participated in fasting regimens lasting 4–21 days. The study found that 15% of participants reported sleep disturbances related to fasting. They reported this more frequently than other side effects ( 3). May cause nutrient deficiencies: Any fasting protocol can put you at risk for nutrient deficiencies. By restricting calories, you also limit your intake of essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, and electrolytes—all things your body needs to function correctly. Some people use food grade Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate) or Milk of Magnesia as a sources of Magnesium, however both have severe laxative effects so Magnesium supplements in capsule form are much preferred

You can also buy salt water, which does all the hard work for you. There’s no need to wait for a tablet to dissolve, because this water contains electrolytes so you’re not in short supply of magnesium, calcium, potassium, or sodium. Magnesium (Mg) is essential in the formation of bones and teeth and in converting blood sugar into energy. However, if you don’t plan or practice your fasting program carefully over a long time period or you deliberately restrict calories to an extreme level, you might experience malnutrition along with other health complications. Khandia R, Dadar M, Munjal A, et al. A comprehensive review of autophagy and its various roles in infectious, non-infectious, and lifestyle diseases: Current knowledge and prospects for disease prevention, novel drug design, and therapy. Cells. 2019;8(7):674. doi:10.3390/cells8070674 May cause dehydration: Even though you drink water during a water fast, you can be at risk for dehydration. For most people, at least 20% of daily water consumption comes from the foods you eat. If you don’t increase your water intake during the fast, you will consume much less water than usual. Stage three typically falls between day eight and 15. This stage includes dramatic improvements in mood and mental clarity and is the stage seasoned fasters look forward to the most. How You Feel: Clear MindedIf you make it this far, the benefit becomes personal. Fasting, especially beyond the first seven days, takes steadfast dedication. What you get out of the fast in these later stages can be a culmination of all the earlier stages or an accomplishment of a personal health goal. For some, it is weight loss, for others, it is a strategy to heal a particular health complication. Stage 5: Breaking the Fast