Autophagy and Fasting: Unleash the Power for Optimal Health

Autophagy is our body’s rejuvenation process that can be turned on by fasting. Discover its benefits and how to induce autophagy naturally.

Empty plate

Autophagy is our body’s natural recycling process, a system our bodies have used for centuries to survive. It involves the breakdown of old, damaged cells and renews them into healthier versions of themselves.

Fortunately, there are ways to induce autophagy more regularly to support healthy aging and longevity.[1] One of the best ways is through fasting.

Let’s dig into autophagy fasting benefits and how to induce autophagy by fasting.

Autophagy

What Is Autophagy?

In the simplest of terms, autophagy is our body’s way of renewing itself. Over time, our cells grow old and become more susceptible to damage, which leads to oxidative stress in the body.

This occurs when the body is exposed to harmful substances in the environment called free radicals, which can increase the risk of disease and accelerate aging.

Autophagy is a protective mechanism that helps preserve the health of your cells. During autophagy, damaged cells are broken down and destroyed, and parts of them are reused to generate healthy, more high-functioning cells.

This process needs to occur frequently and long enough to achieve its intended benefits. This is where the link between autophagy and fasting comes in to provide some extra support.

Benefits

Autophagy Fasting Benefits

There are multiple autophagy benefits to health, and fasting is one way to help you achieve these benefits more often.[2] This is the case with both intermittent fasting and prolonged fasting methods.

When you fast, you deny your cells nutrients, which gives your body (and liver) a break. This allows it to focus on cell renewal.[3]

Here are a few possible autophagy benefits associated with fasting:[4]

  • Decreases oxidative stress that leads to early aging.
  • Destroys damaged cells that can cause disease.
  • Bolsters the removal of toxins from the body.
  • Improves hormonal balance.
  • Decreases inflammation.
  • Boosts skin health by increasing collagen production.
  • Supports proper nerve communication and function, helping your body work more efficiently.
  • Promotes the conversion of your food and nutrients into needed energy.

Fasting may not be for everyone. When it comes to your own autophagy fasting timeline and method, it’s important to know yourself and weigh out the pros and cons of starting an autophagy diet plan like fasting.

How to Induce Autophagy By Fasting

Here are a few tips and best practices if you want to start fasting to stimulate autophagy.

Fast for at least 24 hours. Science has not yet pinpointed an exact time when fasting triggers autophagy, as it varies by individual and context. While some experts say it’s possible to induce autophagy after fasting for 14–18 hours, most research points to at least 24 hours to begin to see a noticeable autophagy effect. For this reason, at least a 24-hour fast is generally recommended to stimulate autophagy.[5]

Consider extended fasting. It’s possible that more extended fasts of at least 24–48 hours may lead to even bigger autophagic activity. However, this is not easy or necessarily safe for many people to follow.[6] It can be particularly risky for individuals taking insulin or other blood sugar-lowering medications, as it may lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Fasting is also not recommended for those who are pregnant or nursing, have a history of eating disorders, or are managing certain medical conditions, unless under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider.

Add certain foods to speed up the process. There are several foods you can include during your eating windows that may help support the autophagy process. These include coffee, green tea, turmeric, and polyphenol-rich compounds like ellagitannins and ellagic acid, which are known to promote cellular health.[7]

These polyphenols break down into Urolithin A, the primary compound in Mitopure® that promotes mitophagy (a specific form of autophagy that targets the mitochondria).

Remember, above all else, to always listen to your body while fasting. If you feel tired, lightheaded, weak, or nauseous, chances are fasting is not for you. Always speak with your doctor before starting to determine the best autophagy fasting timeline for you. And if you feel that fasting is not for you, there are also other ways to induce autophagy.

Key Takeaways

Autophagy is your body’s way of self-preserving to delay the aging process, optimize health, and protect you from disease. You hold the tools to induce it more often through your daily habits like fasting, calorie restriction, exercise, and autophagy supplements.

If you don’t want to change the way you eat, or you just want a convenient way to further boost your autophagy capabilities, adding a supplement like Mitopure® is an easy way to induce mitophagy in a more sustainable way.

Mitopure Softgels
Mitopure Softgels
Bestseller

4.4 · 3129 reviews

The simplest form of Mitopure

Buy now

Authors

Melissa Mitri, MS, RD

Writter

Dietitian-Nutritionist, and Health Content Writer

Jen Scheinman, MS, RDN, CDN

Reviewed by

Senior Manager of Nutrition Affairs

References

  1. Nakamura S, Yoshimori T. Autophagy and Longevity. Mol Cells. 2018 Jan 31;41(1):65-72. doi: 10.14348/molcells.2018.2333. Epub 2018 Jan 23. PMID: 29370695; PMCID: PMC5792715.

  2. Condello M, Pellegrini E, Caraglia M, Meschini S. Targeting Autophagy to Overcome Human Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Feb 8;20(3):725. doi: 10.3390/ijms20030725. PMID: 30744021; PMCID: PMC6387456.

  3. Bagherniya M, Butler AE, Barreto GE, Sahebkar A. The effect of fasting or calorie restriction on autophagy induction: A review of the literature. Ageing Res Rev. 2018 Nov;47:183-197. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2018.08.004. Epub 2018 Aug 30. PMID: 30172870.

  4. Martinez-Lopez N, Tarabra E, Toledo M, Garcia-Macia M, Sahu S, Coletto L, Batista-Gonzalez A, Barzilai N, Pessin JE, Schwartz GJ, Kersten S, Singh R. System-wide Benefits of Intermeal Fasting by Autophagy. Cell Metab. 2017 Dec 5;26(6):856-871.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.09.020. Epub 2017 Oct 26. PMID: 29107505; PMCID: PMC5718973.

  5. Alirezaei M, Kemball CC, Flynn CT, Wood MR, Whitton JL, Kiosses WB. Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy. 2010 Aug;6(6):702-10. doi: 10.4161/auto.6.6.12376. Epub 2010 Aug 14. PMID: 20534972; PMCID: PMC3106288.

  6. Autophagy: Definition, Process, Fasting, & Signs. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed 3/31/2023. Last updated 8/23/2022.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24058-autophagy#:~:text=How%20long%20do%20you%20have,to%2048%20hours%20of%20fasting

  7. Pallauf K, Rimbach G. Autophagy, polyphenols and healthy ageing. Ageing Research Reviews. 2013;12(1):237-252. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2012.03.008

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. References: *Nutrition studies: 500mg Mitopure® have been shown to (1) induce gene expression related to mitochondria function and metabolism and (2) increase the strength of the hamstring leg muscle in measures of knee extension and flexion in overweight 40-65 year olds. Data from two randomized double-blind placebo-controlled human clinical trials. **Nutrition NOURISH Study: 500mg Mitopure® have been shown to deliver at least 6 times higher Urolithin A plasma levels over 24 hours (area under the curve) than 8 ounces (240ml) of pomegranate juice in a randomized human clinical trial.

© 2025
© 2025