The Science Behind Autophagy: How Your Body Cleanses Itself

 

 

The science behind autophagy is so groundbreaking that it earned Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2016. His research revealed how our cells orchestrate this complex self-cleaning process and adapt to changing conditions.

The most fascinating aspect of autophagy is that it's something we can actively trigger through fasting periods. Our ancestors likely experienced this process regularly due to natural periods of food scarcity, but in our modern world of constant food availability, many people rarely activate this powerful cellular renewal mechanism.

This natural cleansing system represents one of the many ways our bodies have evolved sophisticated self-healing capabilities. Understanding and working with these innate processes - rather than constantly fighting against them - may be key to maintaining health and resilience in an increasingly toxic world.

A 72 hour fast (water is OK) can significantly regenerate the body and immune system. If you are going to try fasting, consider the following:

Before the Fast:

Several days before beginning, gradually reduce your carbohydrate intake while increasing healthy fats and proteins. This helps your body transition more smoothly into using fat for energy. In the final 24 hours before starting, eat lighter, easily digestible meals to ease the transition.

During the Fast:
Throughout the 72 hours, you should drink 2-3 liters of water daily to stay hydrated. You can also have black coffee, plain tea, and mineral water with electrolytes. Some people benefit from taking a pinch of high-quality salt to maintain electrolyte balance.

Your body goes through distinct phases during a 72-hour fast. In the first 24 hours, your body depletes its glucose stores. Between 24-48 hours, you enter deeper ketosis, where your body switches to burning fat for fuel. The 48-72 hour period is when chaperone mediated autophagy (cellular cleanup) increases significantly.

The work of Ana Maria Cuervo and several others at the Longevity Genes Project/Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinics, and of course your Valter Longo's, David Sinclair's among many others are great sources of information on this topic if you're looking to dive deeper.