Make 16-Hour Fasting Work Like a 3-Day Fast (5 Powerful Fasting Accelerators)

DeLauer introduces glycerol as a 2025 addition that goes beyond electrolytes. He acknowledges that electrolytes during a fast still curb appetite and are valid, but glycerol offers a proactive strategy: pre-saturating muscle cells with water so you start the fast optimally hydrated. This reduces the need to guzzle water constantly and, more importantly, he asserts that cellular hydration directly increases fat utilization. He cites athletic and ultra-endurance use of glycerol, now being repurposed for fasting. The main practical win is you feel better and sharper, with accelerated fat loss as a bonus.

DeLauer positions moringa as a way to ‘extend your fast’s benefits’ beyond the eating resumption. He explains that the body’s own endogenous antioxidant systems kick in during fasting, and adding moringa during the fast might create an excessive hormetic hit. By waiting until after you eat, you catch the descending NRF2 signal and re-amplify it. He claims personal experience confirms this yields a noticeable extension. The scientific highlight is the Keap1 blockade—without that bottleneck, more NRF2 reaches the nucleus to activate over 200 protective genes. The result is a sustained state of enhanced detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant defense.

DeLauer stresses that this is not about taking methylene blue as a daily nootropic, but as a situational tool. He shares that he uses it when fasting or traveling, because those states impose extra oxidative and metabolic stress. He cites Dr. Scott Sher’s expert position that high doses are absurd and only used clinically for conditions like sepsis. The low-dose approach aligns with fasting—giving the mitochondria a little electron boost when they are already trying to ramp up fat burning. He also acknowledges the synthetic nature and says he understands people's hesitation, but argues the benefit profile is strong when used infrequently. The core message: use 1-4 mg on the hardest days, let the body do its thing the rest of the time.

DeLauer says TMG is one of his all-time favorite supplements because of its broad benefits. He emphasizes that very few antioxidants get his green light during a fast, but TMG is an exception because it works upstream through methylation. He lists evidence for insulin sensitivity, fatty acid oxidation, and muscle preservation. He believes the anti-inflammatory and detox support (phase 2) align perfectly with fasting goals without interfering with the pro-survival oxidative signals. He even suggests it can be taken intra-workout while fasted, making it versatile.

DeLauer notes that the evidence for taurine on cramps is weak, but its endurance benefits are robust. He positions it as a solution to the unique problem of fasted training: you’re already energy-depleted and breaking down muscle without amino acids to repair. Taurine steps in to reduce the beat-down, making it possible to train hard while fasted. He cites the 10-13% time-to-exhaustion increase from rowing studies, and underscores that its localization means it helps only where needed, preserving the general beneficial stress of fasting. He recommends it situationally, when you’re really pushing the envelope.

DeLauer frames glycerol as a new angle for 2025, arguing that cellular hydration directly impacts fat oxidation—when cells are properly hydrated, you oxidize more fat. Because fasting lowers insulin, you excrete more water and must drink excessively; pre-loading with glycerol pulls water into muscle cells ahead of time, reducing the need to chug water constantly. He stresses that glycerol would break a fast if consumed during it, so timing is everything: right before beginning the fast or the previous night. The benefit is twofold: you feel better (focus) and you potentially burn more fat.

DeLauer explains that fasting turns on the body’s own antioxidant systems via NRF2. Moringa is a potent NRF2 activator and hormetic stressor; taking it during the fast could push the system too far. Instead, he advises taking it after breaking the fast, when the body would normally start downregulating those pathways. This extends the detox and longevity window. He details his personal experience of getting stronger benefits from this post-fast timing and describes the molecular mechanism of moringa inhibiting Keap1, the protein that disarms NRF2, resulting in more NRF2 entering the nucleus to activate over 200 protective genes.

He says he uses it a couple times per week, especially on days he fasts or is under extra load, and always when flying. Fasting is a stressor, and methylene blue helps mitochondria process fuel—including stored fat—more efficiently by donating electrons. This “kickstarts” the metabolic shift fasting aims for. He emphasizes it’s not an antioxidant that squelches hormetic stress but rather a metabolic facilitator. The key is dose: 1-4 mg, not high, and not daily. He addresses the synthetic nature honestly, saying he understands the concern but finds value in strategic use.

He describes TMG as a versatile compound serving as a methyl donor for cellular remodeling and detoxification, with evidence for improving insulin resistance, fatty acid oxidation, and muscle preservation. Unlike standard antioxidants, it doesn't directly quench free radicals; it reduces inflammation and homocysteine, supporting metabolic efficiency. He believes this makes it safe to use intra-fast without blunting hormesis. He personally considers it a favorite supplement, and points to its role in phase 2 detox and methylation as synergistic with fasting goals.

DeLauer notes that when you’re fasting, you’re already pushing your body hard because you lack an external energy load. Taurine at 2-3 grams can increase time to exhaustion by 10-13% based on rowing trials. Its unique property is concentrating at sites of muscle damage, providing localized antioxidant protection that aids repair without systemic interference. He recommends it situationally—when you’re really pushing boundaries while fasted—not daily. This addresses the recovery deficit that fasted training creates, giving a “leg up” when no post-workout nutrition is available.