Pat:

> What does this do to physical endurance, cognitive ability, and other
> biological function, then? (for short, long, or partial fasting)? This is
> very interesting, and I should think vital for anyone choosing which ,if
> any, fast to perform?
>

Physical endurance is probably affected: either the body is not
willing to spend too much energy, or it is not able to (the energy
produced by fat tissue and neoglucogenesis is not as easily available
than that coming from the liver glycogen), or both.

>From my experience, cognitive ability is not affected, maybe on the
contrary (aren't you sometimes sleepy after lunch?), but some people
say that elimination is much more efficient if the body doesn't have
the burden of physical/intellectual activities to bear, so it is
better to lay in bed, close the eyes. But that kind of argument
doesn't seem convincing to me, since physical activity is important
for health too.

Anyway, the question would be: is the investment worth it? I would be
ready to accept a few inconvenients (we do not need so much endurance
in the modern world) if I was sure that I would get a real benefit,
and that I do not damage irreversibly my body. For instance, I would
find reassuring if some scientific authority stated that, in spite of
the low blood glucose level, there isn't a higher neuronal mortality
rate than usual.


Best wishes,

Jean-Louis.