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The Fasted Fat Fuelled Freedom Run is a project undertaken to show the human body is adequately fuelled by fat and does not require carbohydrates as a fuel source. In order to prove this, a handful of runners undertake to run 160km over the course of five days in a fasted state. The 8 participants are volunteers, funding their own transport, accommodation and expenses.

We will start at Vredenburg Life Hospital on 23 April 2021 and finish at Milnerton Flea Market on Freedom Day  27 April 2021. Our base camp is !Khwa ttu, a heritage centre and museum near Darling, where visitors can pop in or stay overnight and learn about the San - one of the last hunter-gatherer societies left on earth. The runners will be shuttled to their respective starting points each day and return to !Khwa ttu every evening. 

Our fast will commence as we finish our last meal at 3pm on 22 April, the day before we start the event. Our next meal will be on day 5 after we have completed 160km. We will consume water, tea, coffee, and mineral supplements for the duration of the 5-day event. In effect, no calories will be consumed, therefore running in a completely fasted state, only burning our body fat for fuel.

We aim to demonstrate the following: 

1. Participants have stable glucose levels throughout the 5 days.
2. Nutritional ketosis does not lead to ketoacidosis.
3. Fat stores provide enough energy in ketogenic-adapted individuals to complete the event without hitting the wall.
4. Participants will experience improved mood, mental clarity and focus.

The University of the Western Cape has secured funding and equipment to document the physiological impact on blood lipids, blood glucose and fat oxidation in the participants. 

Extract from the University of the Western Cape study proposal:

“The effect of exercising in a fasted state on the body’s metabolic responses to prolonged fasting and exercise remains a controversial topic of investigation that continues to be intensively investigated. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate the effect of prolonged fasting on endurance exercise.”

To maximise the research opportunity, further funding is required to measure critical hormone fluctuations in the participants. Your sponsorship will go towards as many of the outstanding tests listed below.

Proposed tests for: 3 blood draws per day over 5 days for 8 participants 

Test 1               LIPOGRAM (FASTING)                         Funded by UWC

Test 2               HDL CHOLESTEROL-S                          Funded by UWC

Test 3               TOTAL CHOLESTEROL-S                       Funded by UWC

Test 4               LDL CHOLESTEROL (MEASURED)-S     Funded by UWC

Test 5               TRIGLYCERIDE-S                                  Funded by UWC

Test 6               INSULIN (FASTING)                              R23,352.00 required

Test 7               CORTISOL RANDOM – S                      R23,352.00 required

Test 8               TESTOSTERONE – TOTAL                     R23,352.00 required

Test 9               GROWTH HORMONE                          R23,352.00 required

Test 10             GLUCAGON                                         R29,196.00 required

Test 11             CATECHOLAMINES
                        (Adrenaline, Noradrenaline)                R153,768.00 required

 

Why is this study important? According to a recent article in Business Day, there are approximately 4.5 million South Africans with Type 2 Diabetes, and another estimated 2 million South Africans who don’t know they have Type 2 Diabetes. We aim to demonstrate that exercising in a fasted state is safe, without the presence of carbohydrates. We believe cutting carbohydrates improves the ability to control blood glucose, leading to a much better quality of life. This research will save lives.

Meet the participants here www.fastedfatfuelledfreedomrun.com 

Barry Andrews              Marius Bezuidenhout

Etienne Smit                 Mike Summers

Heidi Everett                 Sam Bell

Karsten Vollmer             Shaun Waso

Add your voice to the project, sponsor us here. Contributions exceeding R 5,000 will be published on our website and in our media initiatives. All proceeds will be managed by Back-A-Buddy and all payments for the event will be recorded for auditing purposes.

Back-A-Buddy campaign link https://www.backabuddy.co.za/the-fasted-fat-fuelled-freedom-run 

Many kind regards

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