Let’s look at the data—because muscle loss during prolonged fasting isn’t just speculation. It’s been directly measured in highly controlled human studies. One of the most precise? A study by Dr. Oliver Owen in 1998. He followed five obese men fasting for 21 days on just water and salt. Every calorie was tracked. Nitrogen losses were measured. Organ metabolism was measured. The results? On average, the men lost 26 pounds—but half of it wasn’t fat. It was lean mass. About 8 of those 13 pounds cam

Fasting: benefits for body composition and disease prevention, potential risks, and Peter’s updated practical framework This trailer is from “Ask Me Anything” episode # 72 (Ep. # 353) of The Drive which was released today (6/16/25). In the full episode, I discuss: -The risk of lean mass loss with fasting and how to mitigate it -A practical framework for using fasting as a strategy to improve body composition -The essential vitamins and minerals to supplement during prolonged fasting -Who should