Episode #758: The SHOCKING Benefits of Not Eating for 72 Hours

If you’ve ever tried intermittent fasting and wondered whether pushing past 24 hours actually does anything different, this episode breaks down the science hour by hour.

I join fasting expert Ben Azadi to explain exactly what your body is doing at every checkpoint of a 72-hour water fast, from the moment your glycogen runs out to the full immune system reset that happens on day three.

What Your Body Is Really Doing Hour by Hour

Most people think of fasting as simply “not eating,” but I walk through the specific biological shifts that unfold as the hours add up: fat burning kicks in around hour 14, ketone production ramps up around hour 16, and autophagy accelerates as your body starts clearing out old, damaged cells and prioritizing visceral fat, the inflammatory fat surrounding your organs.

Along the way, growth hormone climbs dramatically, offering a natural, hormone-driven path to preserving lean muscle while burning fat.

How To Prepare, Support, And Safely Break A Long Fast

A 72-hour fast isn’t something to jump into cold. Ben and I share how to build up to it with a protein-first eating pattern, which liquids and supplements can support the process without breaking it, and the biggest mistakes people make when they finally sit down for their first post-fast meal.

They also tackle the dopamine reset that happens around 48 hours and explain why so many people feel a fresh sense of mental clarity and discipline once they push through it.

• 00:00 Fasting Supplements Debate
• 00:27 Podcast Intro and 72 Hour Fast
• 04:06 12 to 16 Hours Fat Burning
• 05:51 Ketones and Brain Clarity
• 08:48 BDNF and Stress Resilience
• 11:07 Spiritual and Dopamine Reset
• 13:51 24 Hours Autophagy Begins
• 16:53 Visceral Fat and Mitochondria
• 25:12 Growth Hormone and Muscle Loss
• 29:06 Preparing for a Long Fast
• 34:20 Push Past Dinner Cravings
• 35:08 Ghrelin Waves and Herbal Tea
• 36:43 Deeper Fat Burning Benefits
• 37:23 Fatty Liver Fuel Explained
• 38:43 No Such Thing Failed
• 39:54 Gut Stem Cells and Leaky
• 44:15 Dopamine Reset at 48
• 46:38 Immune Reset at 72
• 47:12 Water Fast vs ProLon
• 49:29 Discipline and Addiction Break
• 50:21 What to Drink While
• 51:59 Supplements Binders and Gut
• 56:56 Breaking Fast Safely
• 58:18 Where to Find Jockers
• 01:00:23 Gratitude Closing Thoughts

Episode Sponsors

We partner with great companies that make superior products that can help benefit your health. These products have gone through a review and vetting process by Dr. Jockers and his team and are products that we use and recommend for others.

They are truly the best of the best supplements, tools, and resources you can find to help improve your health! Even better, we have worked with the manufacturers to get you exclusive community discounts so you can get them for the lowest price on the internet.

Beefsticks

Fuel your body with Paleovalley’s grass-fed meat sticks, the ultimate healthy snack packed with protein and healthy fats to stabilize blood sugar and satisfy cravings. Made without sugar, additives, or preservatives, these meat sticks are perfect for on-the-go, guilt-free snacking.

Choose from flavorful options like original summer sausage, garlic, teriyaki, and jalapeno, in both grass-fed beef and pasture-raised turkey. With an optimal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, these snacks help reduce inflammation and support immune health, energy, and radiant skin. Ready to try? Visit paleovalley.com/jockers for a 15% discount on Palevalley today!

With such high-quality ingredients, Paleovalley didn’t want to degrade the product in the process. While most snack stick products contain a health-damaging ingredient called encapsulated citric acid, they naturally ferment their sticks which results in a delicious, shelf-stable product with the presence of gut-friendly probiotics.

Orion Sleep

Right now, Orion is offering our listeners 15% off at ORIONSLEEP.COM/DRJOCKERS. Plus free shipping, a 30-day free trial with a full refund, and a 2-year warranty

Get better sleep, backed by your own data at ORIONSLEEP.COM/DRJOCKERS.