About Deuterium & Fasting

What is deuterium and deuterium-depleted drinking water?

Deuterium, a.k.a. heavy hydrogen, is a naturally occurring stable – non-radioactive – variation of hydrogen. The atomic nucleus of hydrogen consists of one proton only, but the deuterium nucleus contains one proton and one neutron. This considerable, twofold mass difference causes significant differences in the physical and chemical properties of hydrogen and deuterium. 

Why should we drink deuterium-depleted water?

Research shows that decreasing the level of deuterium in the tissues and organs is a natural biological process. However, the body's ability to deplete deuterium decreases as we get older, sicker and get less exercise or sunlight. This natural system is the target of the deuterium depleting procedure. By changing the deuterium level of drinking water below the natural level, the deuterium content in the body can be kept low even if the said natural cell process is faulty. By proper choice and continuous consumption, deuterium depletion in the organism can be maintained for long periods.

Fasting, Dry Fasting, Keto, and LCHF Deplete Deuterium

You’re probably already familiar with fasting and all the associated health benefits. You may not know that fasting works in part because of deuterium depletion. When you aren’t consuming food, your body switches to fat for fuel. No food means no deuterium coming from carbohydrates, and fat burning means deuterium depletion.

The reason fat burning depletes deuterium is because for every kilogram of fat we burn, our body creates 1.1 kg of metabolic water (using hydrogen from the fat, plus oxygen). Metabolic water is created inside our cells and is naturally deuterium-depleted.

Dry fasting is also a highly effective way to deplete deuterium, but it isn’t appropriate for beginners. A dry fast is a fast with no food, water, or liquids. When you dry fast, your body produces metabolic water for hydration. If you dry fast without enough experience, or for too long, you will get dehydrated.

The ketogenic diet or a low-carb high-fat diet is an easy and safe way to deplete deuterium without necessarily fasting. As you reduce your carbohydrate consumption and adapt to using fat as fuel, your deuterium levels will decrease.