Hack Your Fast: 5 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Fast

Fasting is a powerful tool for improving metabolic health, enhancing longevity, and promoting cellular repair. However, it can be challenging to implement and sustain. 

Fortunately, our science team here at Mara Labs likes to fast regularly and stays on top of recent research and expert insights that make fasting more manageable and effective. 

Here are five science-backed hacks to optimize your fasting experience, from the same minds that bring you the Mara Labs supplement line-up:

1. Enhance Fasting Benefits with Sulforaphane (aka BrocElite)

Sulforaphane, a potent compound found in broccoli sprouts and delivered in stabilized form through BrocElite®, is emerging as a powerful amplifier of fasting benefits. In a recent podcast, Dr. John Gildea, David Roberts, and Dave Aspreydescribe how combining sulforaphane with even a single day of fasting can deliver biological effects comparable to a much longer fast - up to four days.

Here’s why:

1. Sulforaphane indirectly raises PGC-1α (Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha) - a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism. PGC-1α activation leads to an increase in both the number and function of mitochondria, much like what you would achieve through prolonged fasting or intense exercise.
2. Additionally, sulforaphane is a strong inducer of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme essential for mitochondrial repair, cellular energy production, and longevity pathways. NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, but are boosted during fasting, exercise, and through compounds like butyrate and sulforaphane. By raising NAD+, sulforaphane activates similar biological pathways involved in mitophagy, the recycling of damaged mitochondria.

Dr. Gildea explains this synergy by noting:

"We think of it as stress that's not a stress. The body responds by increasing mitochondrial quality and quantity. There's elongation, fission, and mitochondrial turnover. Sulforaphane activates all three."

In short, sulforaphane:

•  ⚫️ Mimics the stress of fasting without the strain
•  ⚫️ Supports mitophagy and mitochondrial remodeling
•  ⚫️ Enhances the metabolic reset initiated by fasting
•  ⚫️ Activates autophagy pathways to help clear damaged cells and cellular debris

So if a 4 day fast feels overwhelming, try a 1 day fast paired with sulforaphane. Together, they may activate a broader range of cellular repair and detox pathways than either alone - making your fast not only easier, but also far more effective.

2. Accelerate Ketosis with Bioavailable Berberine

Berberine, the active ingredient in BerbElite®, is one of the most researched natural compounds for improving metabolic health - and it’s particularly effective for enhancing fasting results.

There are numerous studies on PubMed.gov demonstrating berberine’s ability to:

•  ⚫️ Activate AMPK, a crucial energy-sensing enzyme that enhances fat burning and improves insulin sensitivity
•  ⚫️ Improve glucose uptake in cells, which lowers blood sugar naturally and mimics some of the mechanisms of fasting
•  ⚫️ Reduce hepatic (liver) glucose production, similar to the prescription drug metformin
•  ⚫️ Support metabolic flexibility, helping your body shift smoothly between using carbs and fat for fuel - a key benefit during intermittent fasting or ketogenic diets

In fact, clinical studies have compared berberine favorably to pharmaceuticals, especially in the management of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. That’s a big deal for those looking for a natural, side-effect-free alternative.

At Mara Labs, we conducted our own preclinical trial using BerbElite to evaluate how quickly users can shift into a fasting-mimicking metabolic state. After taking two capsules of BerbElite, participants reached:

• ⚫️ Blood glucose level: 82 mg/dL
  

• ⚫️ Blood ketone level: 0.5 mmol/L
  

• ⚫️ Timeframe: Within just 3 hours

You can dive deeper into optimizing berberine for ketosis in our founder’s journal article.

Thanks to its rapid effect on glucose metabolism and ketone production, BerbElite can help you get into a fasting state faster and with fewer hunger pangs, making the early hours of your fast much more manageable.

Important Note: While BerbElite is natural, it’s powerful. If you’re taking medications or have underlying conditions, consult your healthcare provider before adding berberine to your regimen.

To make it easy to try, we offer a 100%-100 day guarantee on your first bottle (original shipping costs excluded). That means you can test it risk-free to see how your body responds.

3. Use a Fasting-Mimicking Diet Like ProLon to Get the Benefits Without Going Hungry

“It’s the skinny rats that live the longest,” a medical researcher once told me back in 2005. That phrase stuck with me - and it turns out, it was ahead of its time.

The connection between fasting and longevity began gaining real traction in the scientific community in the mid-2010s, largely thanks to the work of Dr. Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California. In a landmark 2014 study, Dr. Longo showed that yeast, worms, and mice lived significantly longer when subjected to fasting conditions.

But fasting doesn’t just help you live longer - it can also help your body heal:

• ⚫️ Autophagy: Damaged or dysfunctional cells are cleared out to make room for healthier ones.

• ⚫️ Mitophagy: Old, inefficient mitochondria are removed, paving the way for new, energy-efficient ones.

• ⚫️ Stem cell activation: After 3–5 days of fasting, stem cells begin to proliferate and repair damaged tissues.

• ⚫️ Gut reset: Harmful bacteria die off, making space for a more diverse and balanced microbiome.
  
  

However, fasting for multiple days is hard - mentally, socially, and physically.

That’s where the ProLon Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) comes in. Developed by Dr. Longo, ProLon is a five-day plant-based meal program that provides about 800–1000 calories per day—but it’s specifically formulated to trick your body into thinking it’s fasting, even though you’re still eating.

So how does it work?

The exact formulation is proprietary, but we know that:

• ⚫️ It is vegan and low in the amino acid methionine, which plays a role in mimicking fasting metabolism.
  

• ⚫️ Calories are restricted: ~1000 on Day 1 and ~800 on Days 2–5.
  

• ⚫️ It includes an L-drink (a glycerin-based beverage) that helps sustain energy while keeping your body in a fasted-like state.
  
  

The result? You get the benefits of fasting - including autophagy, stem cell activation, and metabolic reset - without total food deprivation.

And here’s a key insight: the benefits of fasting tend to decrease with age. So don’t wait! If you’re curious about ProLon, it's worth exploring (just keep an eye out for online coupon codes to offset the price).

ProLon is an excellent tool for those who want the regenerative and longevity-promoting effects of fasting, but prefer a structured, supported approach that includes food. If it’s too expensive, you can attempt our homemade version, which we think works great too!

4. Align Fasting with Your Circadian Rhythms for Better Metabolic Health

One of the most underrated - but incredibly powerful - ways to make fasting more effective is to sync your eating window with your internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm.

Your circadian rhythm regulates countless biological processes, including hormone release, metabolism, and sleep-wake cycles. When your eating schedule is aligned with daylight, your body metabolizes food more efficiently, burns fat more effectively, and maintains steadier blood sugar levels.

🌞 What the Science Says

• ⚫️ A study published in Cell Metabolism found that early time-restricted feeding (eTRF) - where food is consumed earlier in the day - improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood pressure, and reduces oxidative stress even without weight loss (PMID: 28777789).
  
  

• ⚫️ Another study from Obesity showed that eating meals earlier in the day (between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.) led to improved fat oxidation and decreased hunger throughout the day, compared to eating later in the evening (PMID: 30388236).
  
  

• ⚫️ Research from Satchin Panda’s lab at the Salk Institute has shown that disrupting circadian rhythms by eating late at night can lead to weight gain, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction - even when calorie intake is the same.
  
  

In short, when you eat is just as important as what you eat.

🕒 How to Align Your Fasting Window with Circadian Rhythms

Here are some actionable tips to help you reap the benefits of circadian-aligned fasting:

• ⚫️ Start eating within 1–2 hours of waking (if you're doing eTRF) or have your first meal around 9–10 a.m.
  

• ⚫️ Finish your last meal by 6–7 p.m., ideally at least 3 hours before bedtime. This allows insulin levels to drop and supports melatonin release, improving sleep quality.
  

• ⚫️ Stick to a consistent daily eating window, such as 8 a.m.–4 p.m. or 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
  

• ⚫️ If social or work schedules make early eating difficult, try a 10-hour window, for example, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., which still supports circadian health.
  

• ⚫️ Expose yourself to morning sunlight. This reinforces your biological clock and improves metabolic cues that regulate hunger and digestion.
  
  

Bonus Hack:

If you're combining circadian fasting with supplements like sulforaphane (BrocElite®) or berberine (BerbElite®), take them earlier in the day, when your detox and metabolic systems are naturally more active. This may enhance cellular repair and detoxification in line with your body’s rhythms. Speaking of which…

5. Support Detoxification During and After Fasting

One of the most exciting benefits of fasting is that it gives your body a chance to detox and repair. During a fast, your body shifts from digestion to deep cellular maintenance, activating processes like autophagy (cleaning out damaged cells) and mitophagy (recycling old mitochondria).

But here’s the catch: as your body breaks down old tissues, kills off bad microbes, and releases stored toxins from fat cells, it needs extra support to eliminate those toxins effectively. Otherwise, those toxins can recirculate and cause symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or even rashes - commonly referred to as a “healing crisis” or Herxheimer reaction.

🔬 The Science of Detoxification

Your liver detoxifies in three phases:

1. Phase I – Enzymes (mainly cytochrome P450s) convert toxins into reactive metabolites.
   

2. Phase II – These metabolites are conjugated (bound) with molecules like glutathione or sulfate to make them safer and more water-soluble.
   

3. Phase III – The body transports these neutralized toxins out through bile, urine, or stool.
   

Without all three phases working efficiently, your body can struggle to keep up with the sudden toxin release triggered by fasting.

This is where sulforaphane, especially in its stabilized form like in BrocElite®, becomes incredibly valuable. It supports all three detox phases by:

• ⚫️ Activating the NRF2 pathway, which controls over 200 detox-related genes
  

• ⚫️ Enhancing glutathione production, your body’s master antioxidant
  

• ⚫️ Promoting healthy bile flow and toxin elimination
  
  

🧬 Other Science-Backed Detox Support Tools

• ⚫️ Binders (activated charcoal, bentonite clay, or modified citrus pectin) help trap toxins in the gut so they’re not reabsorbed.

• ⚫️ Hydration with filtered water helps flush toxins through the kidneys and lymphatic system.

• ⚫️ Magnesium (especially citrate or glycinate) supports bowel regularity and muscle relaxation.

• ⚫️ Dry brushing and sauna therapy enhance lymphatic drainage and sweat detox.

• ⚫️ Milk thistle and dandelion root support liver health and bile production, aiding toxin transport.

• ⚫️ Probiotics and fiber (chia, flax, psyllium) restore the gut microbiome and ensure healthy elimination after a fast.
  
  

🧪 Tips for Detoxing During a Fast

• ⚫️ Start slow: If you’re new to fasting or detox, don’t push for a 5-day fast immediately. Begin with 12–16 hours and build up over time.

• ⚫️ Support before and after: Start sulforaphane and glutathione support a few days before your fast and continue after to ease the transition.

• ⚫️ Watch for signs of overload: If you feel spacey, irritable, or nauseous, back off and focus on hydration, sleep, and nutrient support.
  
  

Fasting opens the door to deep detox - but what you do before, during, and after the fast makes all the difference in how well your body handles it. Think of it as spring cleaning for your cells. You’re not just skipping meals - you’re renewing and rebuilding your biology.

References

1. Gildea J., Asprey D.
   How Much Longer Will You Live By Eating Sulforaphane?
   Mara Labs x Dave Asprey Podcast & White Paper. 2024.
    https://daveasprey.com
   

2. Zhou L., et al. (2012).
   Berberine improves glucose metabolism through induction of glycolysis.
   Metabolism.
   PMID: 22386015

3. Zhang Y., et al. (2008).
   Berberine activates AMP-activated protein kinase in human hepatocytes and inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis.
   Diabetes.
   PMID: 18334606

4. Satchin Panda Lab, Salk Institute
   Circadian Rhythm and Time-Restricted Feeding Research Overview
    https://www.salk.edu/scientist/satchidananda-panda/
   

5. Sutton E. F., et al. (2018).
   Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even Without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes.
   Cell Metabolism.
   PMID: 28777789

6. Jamshed H., et al. (2019).
   Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves 24-Hour Glucose Levels and Affects Markers of the Circadian Clock, Aging, and Autophagy in Humans.
   Obesity.
   PMID: 30388236

7. Longo V.D., et al. (2014).
   Fasting-Mimicking Diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
   Cell Metabolism.
   PMID: 24812436

8. Mara Labs Journal – How to Get Into Ketosis Quickly
   https://mara-labs.com/blogs/journal/how-to-get-into-ketosis-quickly

9. Jed Fahey – Sulforaphane Research
   Johns Hopkins Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory Publications
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3079777/

10. Kensler T.W., et al. (2013). Chemoprotection by sulforaphane: protection against carcinogenesis and inflammation. Clinical Cancer Research. PMID: 23456700