An observational study in Fasting Period and Fasting, sponsored by Charite University, Berlin, Germany. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in Germany. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-13.
Sponsored by Charite University, Berlin, Germany · Observational
This study will summarize existing clinical practices in long-term medical fasting and provide international expert consensus on their scientific viability
In order to proceed in the most structured and efficient way possible, this project is divided into 6 phases. In the first phase, we intend to use an anonymous survey of international experts in clinical fasting to find out which and how the various fasting methods currently used in clinics and individual clinicians are adapted to the different needs and illnesses of patients. For this purpose, a questionnaire will be drawn up in consultation with individual clinical experts, which will cover the aspects of the various medical fasting therapies in their preparation, implementation and follow-up for a wide range of indications in as much detail as possible. The aim is to cover not only classic therapeutic fasting / fasting according to Otto Buchinger in German-speaking countries, but also fasting therapies as practiced in other European countries, Asia, the USA and Canada. The completed questionnaire will then be filled out anonymously by selected clinics and clinicians.
The findings obtained from the clinical questionnaire will be prepared by the Scientific Committee of the study so that they can be analyzed, evaluated and discussed by international scientists in the field of fasting therapy in the 2nd project phase (two online questionnaire rounds) and 4th project phase (one online questionnaire round and one live discussion) as part of a consensus procedure, more precisely a modified Delphi study. Specific fasting practices that have not yet or not sufficiently been scientifically investigated should also be specifically addressed as part of this project. Their effectiveness is to be studied as quickly as possible in order to be able to carry out fasting therapies in clinics worldwide even more efficiently, safely and simply and to increase the evidence for these integrative medical methods. After initial findings have been obtained in the 2nd project phase through 2 rounds of online questionnaires in the scientific community, a 6-week public consultation phase will follow in which the ( professional) public will comment on the findings obtained up to that point. The results of this external review will be incorporated into the 4th project phase.
After completion of the 3rd and final online questionnaire round, a live discussion will take place among the scientific experts in order to resolve any final discrepancies. Following the evaluation of the live discussion, the Scientific Committee will internally discuss all outstanding points that have arisen from this phase and, if necessary, coordinate any necessary suggestions for changes with all participating experts via email (5th project phase). The final results will then be presented to the public in the form of updated guidelines on medical fasting therapy at a specialist event in summer 2026 and published in a specialist journal (6th project phase).
392 studies on the registry are indexed under Fasting; 63 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is below the median of 100 across 74 observational studies indexed under Fasting.
Browse Fasting studies →Charite University, Berlin, Germany is the lead sponsor of 857 studies on the registry; 129 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Promising scientific studies on various fasting therapies suggest that fasting will play an important role as a therapeutic method in integrative and complementary medicine in the coming years. To date, however, there are no standardized guidelines for medical fasting therapy. The project presented here aims to address this situation. The aim is to bring together international clinical and scientific experts in the field of fasting in order to develop guidelines for medical fasting as part of a modified Delphi study. The methodology used to develop these guidelines is based on the processes for guidelines defined in the regulations of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF). This project is therefore intended as a basis for the further dissemination and consolidation of this promising integrative medical method.
Clinic criteria
Personal criteria
≥ 50 patients / year and / or more than 200 cases in the last 10 years treated with long-term fasting
FASTING REGIMEN DEFINITIONS
Comment: therapeutic fasting interventions are individually tailored to a person's age, sex, body composition, physical activity level, occupation, goal, and planned duration of fasting.
Medically supervised fasting refers to any fasting regimen that is applied as a therapeutic intervention by a trained physician or similar credentialed healthcare provider.
Long-term fasting (\>3d)
Consensus on fasting practices
International scientific consensus on clincal fasting practices in long-term medical fasting
Time frame: 18 months
Plan to share: Undecided — Will try to publish all data in supplements, if journal accepts
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Sep 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2026, 26 months after the start.
Of 46 non-industry observational studies under Fasting, half reached primary completion within 17 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 7 and three quarters within 48. This study's planned 26 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 48 studies reached it within 17 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 34.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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Charite University, Berlin, Germany →