Fasting Diet Programs Fasting has been praised as a way to cleanse your body of impurities and aid weight loss. But the truth is that fasting can be dangerous. Your body requires a daily supply of calories, vitamins, and minerals which comes from foods and drinks. By supplying no calories during a fast, the body uses some muscle for energy.
Any loss of muscle is detrimental to the dieter because muscle burns calories.
Fasting can also lower the metabolic rate which makes the body use fewer calories. Adequate vitamins and minerals aren't supplied during a fast even if a pill is taken. The patients require hospitalization or daily supervision by a doctor so that their blood values are kept close to normal. The fast is only a minor part of their program. Their emphasis is on retraining these individuals to have normal attitudes towards foods when they begin to eat again.