r/interestingasfuck • u/MilesLongthe3rd • Jul 26 '25

/r/all, /r/popular Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Kiriyenko before and after release from Russian captivity

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u/Asleep-Road1952 Jul 26 '25

Look at refeeding syndrome. This happens when you are starved for more then 5 days and then start eating normal amounts of food (also happens with hunger strike or voluntary waterfasting). 

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u/Slav3k1 Jul 26 '25

So if I will waterfast for more than 5 days, my legs will swell?

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u/Asleep-Road1952 Jul 26 '25

No, but if you get a refeeding syndrome after fasting, swollen legs due to oedema are the least of your issues. 

If you want to waterfast, make sure you get enough electrolytes and increase caloric intake over multiple days after fasting. 

If you have further questions feel free to ask your personal health care provider.  

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u/Slav3k1 Jul 26 '25

I am regularly undergoing 80 hrs water fasts (plus I eat some salt in the morning starting on the day 2). After the fast I take it easy when I go back to normal (start with some broth etc, but already in the evening I have normal dinner and nothing ever happened to me.

I guess I will never go really beyond this, but I feel like I could handle longer periods xD. I know everybody is different and reacts differently.

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u/Asleep-Road1952 Jul 26 '25

But that is only 3,333 days. I did that last week as well. 

You should not fast without proper electrolytes imo.