Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking for a specific period. It has been practiced in many religions and philosophies including, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and more. Fasting can last for a few hours or a few weeks depending on the form of practice. Fasting has a lot of effects on our bodies depending on the period of fasting. Studies have shown that it can decrease LDL which leads to lower risks of heart disease and stroke. It also reduces the total cholesterol by 10% to 21%. Fasting glucose in adults with obesity has decreased significantly during fasting and in patients who have type 2 diabetes their HbA1c has decreased which means fasting can control blood glucose very well, furthermore insulin sensitivity improves during fasting as well.

Studies show  that fasting results in substantial weight loss in obese individuals. In addition, prolonged fasting leads to an increase in the growth hormone and during the prolonged fasting period, the happiness and optimism hormone serotonin was also increased.

In short, fasting effects on the body may include, blood sugar control, enhancing heart health, aiding in weight loss, increasing growth hormone which is vital for growth, muscle strength, metabolism, and weight loss. Fasting can also affect psychological and emotional health depending on the fasting period and beliefs. Some studies found that fasting can cause mood enhancement, which is reflected by increased positive mood and vitality and decreased negative mood, it can promote a sense of achievement, reward, and self-control. In addition, strong religious beliefs can lead to positive effects on humans' physical and psychological health it makes fasting a more pleasant and tolerant experience, for example, a study has shown that during Ramadan when Muslims fast there was a decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress at the end of Ramadan. Moreover, fasting stimulates neurogenesis, which regulates pain sensation and enhances cognitive function and the antiaging ability of the brain. During prolonged fasting serotonin is released and increased which elevates mood and reduces pain sensitivity. In short, fasting effects on mental health including, a positive mood, lowering depression, anxiety, and stress. Increasing the feeling of self-control. However, as much as fasting is highly beneficial for our physical and mental health, it can also have a negative effect if the wrong fasting techniques were used or if a sick person who isn't allowed to fast does it anyway.