Fasting in rodents

Fasting (food deprivation) is a common procedure in animal research, and its consequences are often overlooked.

Norecopa har written a position statement, with literature references, on fasting of rodents, with recommendations on how to minimise the consequences. The statement was written in 2009. Although the information on Norwegian legislation is now out of date, the principles described in the document still apply.
New legislation, such as the EU Directive 2010/63, should be taken into account when reading this document. Some of the references were updated in August 2018, and the statements about fasting in Directive 2010/63 were added at the same time.

The guidelines can be accessed here, and the summary (recommendations) can be read here.

Much more guidance on preparations for animal research and testing can be found in the PREPARE guidelines.

Norecopa's search engine can be used to find more resources: for example, on fasting or food deprivation.

More references

Fasting, Circadian Rhythms, and Time-Restricted Feeding in Healthy Lifespan