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The good news is that there are some simple, affordable and inexpensive supplements that you can use during fasting without interrupting it. You do not need expensive products from foreign pharmacies or subscriptions to supplement stores. All 7 below you can find them in the supermarket, plafar or even
When your body goes into fasting, your kidneys begin to eliminate more sodium and water than usual. That means you quickly lose essential electrolytes — sodium, magnesium, potassium — and if you don't replace them, the unpleasant symptoms that many people know all too well appear: dizziness, cramps, fatigue, headaches and irritability. Many people abandon fasting because of these symptoms, not knowing that they are, in fact, easy to prevent.
The basic rule: hydration + minerals + patience.Here's how to apply it practically.
1. 🧂 Celtic Salt
The first and most important supplement in fasting with water. Celtic salt contains 61 of the 62 minerals essential to the human body, in bioavailable ionic forms — that is, forms that your cells absorb directly.
How to use it:Dissolve a pinch (about 0.5g) in 500ml of water at room temperature and drink in the morning on an empty stomach. This “mineralized water” quickly fights fatigue and dizziness at the beginning of fasting. It does not break fasting, does not trigger insulin and has zero calories.
Where to find it:Plafar, natural stores, online — costs between 15-30 lei for 500g, enough for a few months.
2. 💊 Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body — energy production, muscle function, sleep quality and nervous balance. In fasting, it is one of the first electrolytes to decrease, and its deficiency is immediately felt through muscle cramps (especially at night), mild anxiety and difficulty sleeping.
How to use it:The best tolerated and absorbed form is magnesium bisglycinate or citrate— 200-400mg per day, in the evening. Avoid magnesium oxide — it has low bioavailability and can cause digestive discomfort. Alternatively, Celtic salt contains natural magnesium in the form of chloride, so if you use it daily, you cover some of the necessary.
Where to find it:Any pharmacy or plafar, in various forms and brands.
3. 💧 Natural Mineral Water
The simplest and most affordable “supplement” from our list. Not all water is the same — tap water or distilled flat water is practically minerally empty. Natural mineral water, on the other hand, contains bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium and sodium in varying amounts depending on the source.
How to choose it:Search by tag a water with dry fixed residue above 500 mg/L— this indicates a high mineral content. Quality Romanian mineral waters (Borsec, Harghita, Dorna) are excellent and affordable in price. In fasting, consume a minimum of 2-3 liters per day, preferably at room temperature for better absorption.
Practical advice:Alternate plain water with carbonated water. Carbohydrate helps reduce the feeling of hunger and makes fasting easier to carry out without any negative effects.
4. 🍋 Potassium (Tartar Cream)
Potassium works in tandem with sodium to regulate heart function, blood pressure, and muscle contractions. A deficiency of potassium in fasting is manifested by cramps, light palpitations and a general feeling of weakness. Potassium supplements in pill form are often limited in dosage and expensive — but there is a simple and inexpensive alternative: cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is a natural by-product of wine fermentation, available in any grocery store at the spice section. One teaspoon (about 4.7g) contains around 500mg of potassium — a significant and completely natural amount.
How to use it:Dissolve ½ — 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar in 500ml of water, optionally with a little lemon juice. Consume throughout the day, not all at once. It does not taste pleasant on its own, but combined with lemon it becomes bearable.
Where to find it:The spices or baking ingredients section of any supermarket — under the name “cream tartar” or “potassium tartrate”.
5. ⚡ Baking soda
A surprising supplement on our list, but with real benefits in fasting. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) has an alkalizing effect — it helps maintain a slightly alkaline blood pH, which can be disturbed during longer periods of fasting by the production of ketone bodies. In addition, it provides bioavailable sodium and can reduce the feeling of gastric burning or digestive discomfort that sometimes occurs at the beginning of fasting.
How to use it:¼ teaspoon (about 1g) dissolved in 250ml of water, once a day — preferably in the morning or in the middle of the day. Do not exceed this amount without a doctor's recommendation, especially if you have problems with blood pressure.
Where to find it:Any supermarket costs a few lei — probably the cheapest “supplement” on this list.
6. ☕ Black Coffee
The news that many were waiting for: black coffee, no milk and no sugar, do not break the post.Moreover, it is a real ally in intermittent fasting and water fasting. Coffee speeds up lipolysis — the process by which the body mobilizes fat as an energy source — and amplifies autophagy, the “cell cleansing” process that fasting activates.
Basically, a black coffee in the morning not only does not sabotage your fasting, but also potentiates it. Plus it elegantly solves the problem of low energy in the first hours.
How to use it:1-2 coffees a day without additives. Avoid coffee in the late hours so as not to impair sleep — and quality sleep is essential for recovering from fasting. If you are sensitive to caffeine, replace it with green tea or black tea, which have similar but milder effects.
Caution:Coffee has a diuretic effect — it compensates with additional water for each coffee consumed.
7th. 🔬 Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace element involved in immunity, protein synthesis, tissue healing and hormonal function. During periods of fasting or caloric restriction, the body can become more vulnerable to zinc deficiencies—especially if the fast lasts longer than 24 hours.
Zinc also supports thyroid function, which regulates metabolism — exactly the process you want to optimize by fasting. An adequate intake of zinc in fasting helps maintain muscle mass and a functioning immune system during this period of controlled metabolic stress.
How to use it:15-25mg of zinc per day in the form of zinc gluconate or zinc picolinate (forms with good bioavailability). Take it with water, not on an empty stomach if you have gastric sensitivity—although in pure water fasting, an empty stomach is inevitable, so small doses are preferable.
Where to find it:Any pharmacy or plafar, affordable prices.
The ideal combination for a fasting day with water:
A study of Cell Metabolism(2019) confirm that autophagy markers remain active under fasting conditions even when electrolytes are supplemented. Practical conclusion: Smart mineral supplementation makes fasting safer and more sustainable without reducing its benefits.
It becomes, technically speaking, the most mineral espresso in the history of mankind. Practically speaking, it becomes something that even the hunger of the 3rd day of fasting would not convince you to drink. Keep them separate. Your body will thank you. Taste buds, too. 😄
The current consensus in the scientific literature suggests that minerals and electrolytes in small doses do not interrupt autophagy and do not block the metabolic benefits of fasting. Autophagy is triggered mainly by the absence of calories and amino acids, not the presence of minerals.
You don't have to take them all. If you're on your first water fast or you're a beginner, focus on the top three—mineral water, Celtic salt, and magnesium—these cover the most common deficits and prevent the underlying unpleasant symptoms.
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