Sep 1, 2025, 3:00 AM ETInterview, Fireside Chat

World No.1 Fasting Expert: The Link Between Cancer & Fasting That They're Hiding From You!

Dr. Alan Goldhammer, a physician with 40 years of experience, identifies water-only fasting as the most effective treatment shown for high blood pressure, the leading cause of death and disability.
Fasting is claimed to normalize blood pressure without medication in 174 consecutive hypertensive patients in one study, and 76% of a separate cohort maintained this result one year post-fast.
The intervention reduces insulin resistance more effectively than any known drug, allowing a significant percentage of Type 2 diabetics to achieve normal blood sugar levels without medication.
Fasting mobilizes visceral fat (fat surrounding organs) more rapidly than exercise or diet alone, reducing the inflammatory products that cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions.
The treatment enhances cognitive capacity by increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a neurochemical protective against Alzheimer's and dementia.
Fasting is reported to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, potentially by resetting gut microbiome function where 90-95% of the body's serotonin and dopamine are produced.

Metabolic Switch: Within 16–48 hours of abstinence, the body shifts from burning glucose (glycogen) to burning fat, producing ketones (specifically beta-hydroxybutyrate) as the primary fuel for the brain.
Autophagy: Fasting triggers autophagy, a cellular "housekeeping" process where the body eliminates senescent cells, waste products, and cancer cells.
Gut Microbiome Reset: A 2024 study cited indicates that a seven-day water-only fast reduces harmful Fusobacteria by over 80% and shifts the microbiome to a healthier balance.
Detoxification: The body mobilizes and eliminates stored toxins (PCBs, dioxins, pesticides, heavy metals) accumulated in adipose tissue during the mobilization of visceral fat.
Natriuretic Effect: Fasting rapidly eliminates excess sodium held in the body by the kidneys, causing significant fluid weight loss and reducing blood pressure.
Lean Tissue Preservation: Proper fasting protocols prioritize the loss of visceral fat while preserving lean tissue; DEXA scans showed patients lost 40% of visceral fat while retaining 6% of lean mass during a two-week fast.
Recovery: Lean tissue mass typically recovers and exceeds baseline levels within six weeks of refeeding as glycogen stores are replenished.

Definition: Medically supervised fasting involves complete abstinence from all substances (no food, supplements, or medications) and requires an environment of complete rest to prevent the breakdown of lean tissue via gluconeogenesis.
Duration Range: The clinic protocols range from 5 to 40 days, with the average patient fasting for two weeks; 1% of patients undergo fasts of 40 days or longer.
Refeeding Protocol: Refeeding must take approximately half the length of the fast (e.g., 3 days of juice for a 6-day fast) to prevent refeeding syndrome; the process begins with fresh fruit/vegetable juices before introducing raw and then cooked whole plant foods.
Water Type: Patients consume fractionally steam-distilled water, which is highly purified to remove hydrogenated halocarbons, chlorine, and other contaminants.
Daily Maintenance: Dr. Goldhammer recommends a daily 12-hour fast for everyone (time-restricted feeding) and a once-yearly one-week fast for healthy individuals to reset taste buds and metabolic markers.

Medical Supervision: Extended fasting requires monitoring of electrolytes (specifically potassium and sodium), liver and kidney function, and hydration status to prevent cardiac dysrhythmias or severe dehydration.
Stopping Criteria: If potassium drops below 3.0 mEq/L, the fast is terminated immediately to prevent life-threatening complications.
Orthostatic Hypotension: Patients often experience dizziness upon standing initially due to lowered blood pressure; medical monitoring is required to prevent falls and injury.
Candidate Selection: Not all patients are suitable; those with specific medical histories, extreme fragility, or inability to adhere to rest protocols are excluded.
Medication Management: Patients on medication must have their dosages adjusted by a physician before or during fasting, as the need for medication decreases rapidly once the diet is corrected.

Hypertension: Fasting has resolved hypertension in patients on up to five medications, allowing many to remain off medication for years after adopting a whole-food, SOS-free diet.
Lymphoma: Case reports published in the British Medical Journal describe patients with follicular and stage IV lymphoma achieving long-term remission (10+ years) through a three-week fast followed by a strict plant-based diet.
PCOS and Hormonal Balance: Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), fibrocystic breast disease, and menstrual irregularities (dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia) often see normalized cycles and hormonal balance within one or two cycles post-fast.
Autoimmune Diseases: Fasting is used to heal "leaky gut" (intestinal permeability), reducing the immune system's attack on self-tissues in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.
Obesity: For every pound of excess fat, downstream health consequences increase; fasting preferentially targets the 10% of body fat that is visceral and inflammatory.

SOS-Free Diet: Dr. Goldhammer defines "SOS" (Salt, Oil, Sugar) as the chemicals added to food that stimulate dopamine, override satiety mechanisms, and drive overeating; the "SOS-free" whole plant diet is the maintenance protocol post-fast.
Juice Fasting: Juice fasting is classified as a modified diet, not true fasting, due to the presence of calories and sugars; it lacks the magnitude of detoxification and autophagy induced by water-only fasting.
Ketogenic vs. Fasting: While keto induces ketosis, water fasting is considered more efficient for visceral fat mobilization and avoids the risks associated with high animal protein and fat intake (kidney strain, cardiovascular risk).
Learned Helplessness: The host and guest argue that the medical establishment's narrative that chronic diseases are lifelong conditions requiring constant medication fosters a state of "learned helplessness" in patients.

Preventative Study: The clinic is launching a major study to enroll 2,000–3,000 people to track whether diet, exercise, sleep, and periodic fasting can avoid the average 16 years of debility at the end of life.
Psychological Impact: Fasting acts as a psychological intervention, resetting the palate so that processed foods become unappealing and whole plant foods become the preferred source of nutrition.
Defining Trait of the Era: Dr. Goldhammer posits that "delayed gratification" and the ability to do difficult things for long-term health rather than short-term pleasure is the defining characteristic of success and happiness in the 21st century.
Core Values: Success and happiness are attributed to the possession of three characteristics: honesty (telling the truth), integrity (doing the right thing), and intelligence (doing things right).