The purpose of this site is twofold. First, I will be recruiting participants for an exploratory study on fasting and depression
scheduled to begin sometime in late 2010. As my research design progresses, I will be posting documents, such as my proposal and various forms.
The hypothesis to be tested asks the question, "Does therapeutic fasting reduce the symptoms of depression?" The tentative working title of
the study is "An Exploratory Study of Fasting as a Therapy for Depression."
The Importance of This Research
A study examining the effects of fasting on the symptoms of depression is important for several reasons. Scientists
estimate that one third of the population will experience depression during their lifetime and by 2020, depressive disorders
will be the second largest illness in the world. In the fall of 2004, the FDA instructed drug manufacturers to add black box
warnings to their antidepressant drugs. A black-box warning, the most severe warning that can be placed on a drug label,
is used to alert doctors and patients of serious side effects.
A 2008 review of previous research uncovered via the Freedom of Information Act determined that four of the most commonly prescribed
antidepressants, including Prozac, worked no better than sugar pills for mild to moderate depression. The researchers learned that the
drugs were only effective for very severely depressed patients. In people with lower levels of depression, the results of the
antidepressants were quite modest or disappeared entirely. Additionally, at least 30% of depressed patients fail to respond to
antidepressant medication any kind, making complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies, like fasting, a viable option.
The use of CAM therapies has gained increased acceptance, making it a feasible alternative to pharmacology. In 1991, 34% of the
U.S. adult population reported using CAM therapy during the previous year, that figure rose to almost 40%. According the these findings,
people are looking for alternative health care, making research into fasting and depression relevant at this time.
If you would like to participate in this study or have information on fasting research that you would like to share, call (800) 957-5655, or
Contact Randi Online.
Collection of Resources and Research
The second purpose of this site is its function as a resource of information on fasting. If you know of any publications, journal articles, or films
that reference fasting forward to us me. With your help, FastingResearch.org can serve as a hub for information on the experience of fasting.
Fasting as an Exceptional Human Experience
Transpersonal Psychology and Fasting
Religio-Spiritual Fasting
see more ...
