. "This is cleverly coined 'living water,'" she says, despite "living water" not actually being a thing.’s contributing nutrition editor Cynthia Sass, RD, points out that it would be difficult to obtain all the fluid our bodies need this way. According to the, women over the age of 19 need 2.7 liters of total fluid per day—over 11 cups—while men need 3.7 liters, or more than 15 cups.
When you deprive yourself of that water, "you're unnecessarily stressing the body and pushing it to its limits," says Sass. That's because the body uses water to support healthy digestion and circulation, and helps to regulate body temperature, eliminate waste, lubricate joints, support organ function, and protect organs and tissues, says Sass.
And as far as those claims about dry fasting's impact on skin conditions go, those don't really hold any, uh, water either. "While some influencers claim dry fasting may be helpful for digestion, skin health, and inflammation, the exact opposite is true when you don't get adequate fluids," says Newgent.In addition to being unhelpful to the body's processes, dry fasting can also be dangerous, says Newgent.
Overall, experts—that means trained professionals with actual registered dietitian certifications—agree that the concept of avoiding water is not only unhealthy but potentially dangerous. Brittany Modell, RD, founder of, even goes so far as to call those who practice and recommend it "downright reckless," saying that it's just another example of how social media can influence unhealthy practices.
The bottom line when it comes to dry fasting? As with any type of fasting, it's important to be skeptical and get an expert's opinion first, says Newgent—but dry fasting in particular can be "downright dangerous" and should absolutely be avoided.