<p>Ok right away I have to admit I am not a doctor and have no credible science knowledge pertaining to the human body, but is this theory plausible:</p>
<p>You hear about being well rested and well fed to keep your brain sharp. But what if you starve yourself so much so that your body goes into survival mode and sends blood to the most critical parts of your body, namely the brain, thus increasing mental acuity during the period you are starving? Again I have no medical knowledge so feel free to tear this theory up as you see fit. I'm just thinking up of some desperate study tactics for the finals that are in the horizon.</p>
<p>Well, some people fast not to increase the blood flow to the critical parts of the brain, but rather because eating the processed foods that are commonplace in conventional society fill you with “toxins,” and by abstaining from food, your entire digestive system is allowed to “rest” due to the lack of food coming down the pipes, and focuses on repairing itself and expelling toxins. </p>
<p>Toxins can, supposedly, contribute to brain fog, but most of this is just speculation on the part of fasting advocates, who may just be experiencing the placebo effect.</p>
<p>I would think you would feel too much like crap to concentrate. Due to a scheduling misjudgment I just went the last 30 hours without food and it was not good. XD Even if it did work once you got to “survival mode” you wouldn’t get much studying done in the interim if you feel like total crap.</p>
<p>I’m no doctor, but just using common sense, I can tell you’re theory makes no sense.</p>
<p>For once, where did you get the idea that the brain is the most vital organ for survival? Because it isn’t.</p>
<p>Maybe in a philosophical sense, but the body is just a machine and will probably just begin breaking down your muscles and fat stores (cannibalizing itself) for energy and you probably will not be thinking clearly at all.</p>
<p>Now, on the other side of the coin, digestion just take energy and can cause fatigue (over-eating makes you tired) – so light meals might be a good idea perhaps but not plain starving. In fact many studies show eating breakfast the day of a big test is statistically significant in improving performance.</p>
<p>I have fasted for 14 days straight; you do think more clearly as long as you’re not subjecting yourself to too much physical activity as that results in pure fatigue.</p>
<p>Again, though, this may just be the placebo effect.</p>
<p>Sometimes this strategy works and you get really alert, but other times it makes you feel like total crap and be in a fog and make the STUPIDEST mistakes. It’s just too unpredictable. This is not from any particular medical knowledge per se but just from my own experience (I’ve done this a lot, usually from being in too much of a hurry to eat )</p>
<p>Look at human history . . . Big brains have helped us, but so has being able to run, run, run away when things with big teeth are trying to eat us. Lungs, heart, immune system . . . those are just as vital to survival as the brain, or moreso. Also, being able to fashion a stone weapon does you no good if your limbs are too weak to wield it. </p>
<p>What I’m saying is that the brain, while important, is not going to be first on your body’s list once you seriously start starving. On a personal note, if I don’t eat for a full day I am much more prone to forget things and make bad decisions. (Not “jumping into traffic” irrationality, of course, but along the lines of “OF COURSE I can carry this huge stack of dishes all in one go, I don’t need to make two trips . . . OH GOD, DISHES FALLING EVERYWHERE, THE CARNAGE!!!”)</p>
<p>No, not plausible. The lack of nutrients (and no, a vitamin with no food can’t replace them) is going to negatively effect your brain far more than you’d benefit (which you wouldn’t at all) from increased blood flow from starvation. If you really want to increase blood flow to your brain you can try a nootropic like Piracetam, but all it really did for me is give me a headache and drastically increase the effects of alcohol.</p>
<p>The heart is arguably the most vital organ in the body seeing as it pumps blood. Dunno at least thats what Harvey says or something.</p>
<p>Edit: Oh and your theory is a really bad idea. If anything you would be better off doing research on nootropics or diets that can assist certain cognitive areas.</p>
I would say its not plausible. Simply because your body needs energy for many reasons, such as functioning properly (or just to function at all): starving yourself will not be a positive way to provide energy for your body. So, even if there is a increase amount of blood flow to your brain due to the lack of proper energy and likely lack of substances etc… transfered by your blood to the brain I doubt the brain would be able to function properly.</p>
<p>You start making ketones for energy within a couple of days, but you’ll feel sluggish and think sluggish until your brain becomes adapted to the new energy source.</p>
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