Written by Stephen Anton PhD on April 1st, 2022

Autophagy, which technically means self-eating, is an “evolutionary conserved process” through which our cells remove waste products and damaged particles.

When we accumulate damaged particles and waste products, they must be removed so that our cells can function more efficiently.

Almost all cells use this process for survival and ultimately for growth. For this reason, some call the process of autophagy the “fountain of youth.”

While this is an amazing process, in order to make sure it is working in our bodies, it is important to understand the signs of autophagy.

First, let’s learn a little more about autophagy, and then we will cover a few areas that can help you identify if autophagy is active in your body.

In simple terms, you can think of autophagy as your body’s way of taking out the trash. First, you put trash or waste in a trash bag, and when it is filled up you take it outside where it is eventually taken away.

In a very similar manner, your body traps waste products in little bags within your cells and then takes these waste bags into the bloodstream to be removed. Research over the past few decades has revealed how critical the process of autophagy is to our health.

Autophagy occurs when we are in an energy deficit and our metabolic switch is flipped.

Flipping the metabolic switch occurs when our bodies expend glucose reserves and start using ketones, or our body fat, for energy.

Unfortunately, most people do not engage in lifestyles that produce temporary energy deficits sufficient to flip their metabolic switch, so that they are using ketones as a primary fuel source.

Without these temporary energy deficits, our body remains in the fed state and never quite achieves the fasted state required for autophagy to properly do its job.

The short answer is yes.

When we fast for 12 or more hours or exercise for a prolonged period, we are able to flip our metabolic switch and shift our body’s energy source from glucose to ketones.

This has a very positive effect on the function of our mitochondria (energy producing molecules in the cell) and also activates the process of autophagy.

The switch is flipped in response to the temporary stress of low nutrient availability/intake (aka fasting) over a period of time.

The time frame is generally at least 12 hours and is considered a “hormetic response,” meaning it produces beneficial effects (e.g., improved health, increased stress tolerance, enhanced health-span) following the temporary stress.

The exact amount of time it takes to activate the metabolic switch depends on several factors, including an individual’s metabolic flexibility and the amount of energy expended during the fasting period.

Once activated, it is important to not allow the body to go into “starvation mode,” as this may have negative effects on your metabolism and muscle mass.

At this point in time, there is unfortunately no easy way to measure autophagy in humans. We do not have a universally recognized marker of autophagy or a test that can tell you your levels of autophagy.

Additionally, while autophagy is generally health promoting for the vast majority of people, it can in some instances be harmful if left unchecked. It’s all about balance.

If you have been diagnosed with Diabetes or are prone to hypoglycemia, it’s best to consult your physician before increasing the number of hours of fasting.

Taking these considerations into account, below are five potential indicators of amplified or enhanced autophagy:

Until recently, the importance of autophagy for our health has not been well understood, which is somewhat surprising given its primary importance to cellular health and survival.

When autophagy is working properly, it not only improves cellular health but can have a positive effect on all areas of our body.

The five signs of autophagy outlined above can serve as a guide to help determine if this life sustaining process is working for you.

In addition to these signs, amplifying autophagy should ultimately provide an energy boost and may also lead to improved mental clarity.

If you do notice a few of the above signs, sit back and enjoy, as the process of autophagy is more than likely active and the full body benefits should follow shortly after.