“Don’t Fast for 24 or 36 Hours”: Internal Medicine Doctor Recommends 16:8 Intermittent Fasting

Long periods without food may undermine the purpose of intermittent fasting by causing muscle loss, an internal medicine specialist has warned. Kang Hyung-chang made the comments on the YouTube channel “Doctor Kang Hyung-chang Studying Cancer.”

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Intermittent fasting, 16 hours is enough.

Kang said 16 hours of fasting followed by an eight-hour eating window offers the best balance between burning fat and preserving muscle. “Intermittent fasting, 16 hours is enough,” he said. “Fasting for 24, 36 or 72 hours to get more effect does not help much.”

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Fasting for 24, 36 or 72 hours to get more effect does not help much.

He warned that the longer the fast, the greater the potential disadvantage. “When you fast this long, you begin to lose not only fat but also muscle,” Kang said.

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When you fast this long, you begin to lose not only fat but also muscle.

Kang described 16 hours as the point at which people can maintain the fat-burning effect while protecting muscle and continuing the routine every day. For beginners, he recommended first cutting out late-night snacks and gradually extending a 12-hour fast.

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Intermittent fasting, 16 hours is the optimal point.