Can you drink water when fasting?

Many questions arise when people get into fasting and drinking water is an important point to clarify.

My simple and initial answer to the question is:

“Yes. You can eat, drink and do whatever you want when fasting!”

What I mean is that you really can do whatever you want when fasting and what you do really depends on your goals.

But in general, the answer to the question is YES.

 

Yes, you can and you should generally drink water when you’re fasting.

Perhaps there are better questions to ask, like:

What kind of water should you drink when fasting?

And

How much water should you drink when fasting?

Let’s start with the first question…

 

What kind of water should you drink when fasting?

This is an important question because not all water is created “equal”. Think about this and ask:

What kinds of waters are out there that you can choose to drink?

You can get tap water, distilled water, carbonated water, reverse osmosis water, mineral water and spring water.

Now think about your ancient ancestors thousands of years ago… and ask yourself what they drank.

The water they drank came from springs, lakes and streams. And this water contained…

 

Minerals.

That means that when your ancient ancestors drank water, their bodies were getting important nutrients from that water. This is especially important when you’re fasting.

You need essential minerals to survive. Things like:

  • Sodium
  • Magnesium
  • Potassium
  • Calcium

as well as Chloride, Phosphorus, Phosphate, Bicarbonate, and Natrium Chloride.

 

Acute stress can be beneficial to your body.

Remember that when you’re fasting you are intentionally stressing your body so that your body responds and comes back stronger.

This means that some mineral depletion can be beneficial because your body will get better at using both the minerals it has already stored, as well as when you re-introduce the minerals.

 

But going too low for too long can be dangerous.

The requirements for each of the minerals varies. If you’re going less than two days without food, you may not need to worry about supplementing with electrolytes.

But if you go multiple days fasting, you will want to drink high quality mineral water and also consider supplementing with electrolytes.

 

How much of these minerals do you need?

You can get most of your minerals and electrolytes from a high quality salt, like a trusted Celtic sea salt – with about 1-2 teaspoons throughout the day.

If you’re fasting for longer than 2 days, you might want to consider taking a pure magnesium citrate supplement (without filler that might take away your fasting benefits) and aim for at least 300 mgs per day.

 

How much water should you drink when fasting?

There’s no one right answer to this question that works for everyone. It really depends on many different factors.

Generally you want to drink enough water to stay hydrated; however you don’t want to drink so much that you deplete your body’s electrolytes.

As you learned already, you want to make sure you’re getting enough of your important electrolyte minerals which can be supported by drinking quality mineral water.

 

The best measure for water is to tune into your body.

Are you thirsty? Then drink some water!

On the other hand…

Are you peeing a lot and it’s clear? You may be drinking too much water and peeing out your precious electrolyte minerals!

 

You can take generally recommended advice…

Health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon.

That’s all for this article.

So. My last question to you:

Are you going to drink water when fasting?

 


Curious about fasting but don’t know where to start?

I’ve personally made short and long-term fasting part of my lifestyle over the years, first for its wide range of physical and mental health benefits supported by clinical research, and now I’ve learned and shared so much about it that I’m offering yet another life-changing course on fasting!

Whatever your reason (like losing weight, having more energy/mental clarity, and saving time/money on food), if you’re interested in fasting but could use some guidance to get started, you’re in luck because we launched an easy introduction to intermittent fasting – with daily assignments and easy-to-follow informational resources – so that you too can learn and enjoy the many benefits of fasting.

I’m a trained and certified health coach and have learned so much about health, wellness and fasting, that I want to share all this knowledge with you – so that you too learn the absolute simplest way to clean up your diet, detox your body and control your weight.

Follow this link to learn more and to join the Fasting Masterclass now.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

About the Author Jason Ryer


Jason Ryer is a Certified Breath Coach, Cold Therapy Guide, and former tech entrepreneur who combines ancient wisdom with modern science to help others optimize their wellbeing. After working as a software engineer at IBM and serving in the Peace Corps in Bolivia, Jason discovered the transformative power of breathwork and cold therapy. A certified Bulletproof Coach and trained by Wim Hof, he has guided over 1,000 people through breathwork and ice bath experiences. Now based in Thailand, Jason leads the Zen Strength movement, helping individuals reconnect with their natural resilience through breathwork, cold exposure, and mindset training. His journey from tech innovator to wellness guide reflects his mission of reuniting people with nature and optimal health.

Get my latest biohacks, health and wellness updates.

I'll share my updates, along with my latest biohacking secrets - to help you achieve weight loss and beyond: Burn Fat, Build Strength, Increase Immunity, Detox, and Boost Energy!