If 16:8 Intermittent Fasting Results Disappoint, Explore 'Gamrosesu'
🧾 Answer First | Core Conclusion
You've probably tried 16:8 intermittent fasting at least once.
The method of fasting for 16 hours and eating within 8 hours is simple, making it especially popular among office workers.
However, many people find themselves thinking:
"My weight dropped a bit, but I don't feel lighter."
"My chronic fatigue and indigestion remain unchanged."
I am Dr. Choi Jang-hyuk, director of Dongjejdang Korean Medicine Clinic.
A large-scale analysis study published in 2026 also showed that
intermittent fasting has no significant difference in weight loss effects compared to conventional dieting.
The key is not 'when you eat' but 'how properly you remove toxins accumulated in your body.'
Today, I'll share information about a fasting aid developed by the Korean Society of Oriental Medicine for Weight Loss — 'Gamrosesu (甘露水)' — a detoxification method that goes one step further than intermittent fasting.
✅ Action | Immediate Implementation
1️⃣ Understand the difference between intermittent fasting and Gamrosesu fasting
16:8 intermittent fasting only restricts meal times, and during eating hours, people eat normally.
Calories naturally decrease and weight drops, but digestive organs work every day.
Gamrosesu fasting is different.
For a certain period (usually 3–10 days), food is completely stopped, and only Gamrosesu, a fasting supplement, is consumed.
While the digestive organs completely rest, the remaining energy pushes out toxins and waste accumulated in the body.
If intermittent fasting is 'meal timing adjustment,' Gamrosesu fasting is closer to 'digestive system reset + toxin cleansing.'
2️⃣ Know the roots of Gamrosesu — Royal Court Beverage Jehotalng from the Joseon Dynasty + Saengmaeksan from the Donguibogam
Gamerosesu is a Korean medicine fasting aid made by combining two traditional prescriptions.
Jehotang (醍醐湯) was a royal court beverage consumed by kings during summer,
with organic acids from umeboshi (preserved plum) helping break down fatigue substances, and medicinal ingredients like saein and choagwa protecting the stomach.
Saengmaeksan (生脈散) is a Donguibogam prescription composed of ophiopogon, ginseng, and schisandra, used for restoring vitality and replenishing fluids.
Plant-based ingredients fermented and aged for over 3 years have been added, making it a liquid form directly absorbed without digestion.
At three sachets per day (60cc×3), it supplies approximately 420kcal of calories while reducing headaches, indigestion, and lethargy during fasting.
3️⃣ How we use it at Dongjejdang Korean Medicine Clinic
We do not use Gamrosesu alone at our clinic.
During a 'constitution-based detoxification program (12-week course),' when a plateau occurs or body fluid changes are insufficient,
we incorporate a 3–6 day Gamrosesu fast.
While constitutional herbal medicine establishes the body's larger framework, Gamrosesu serves as a short-term booster.
Standalone 5-day or 10-day Gamrosesu programs are also available.
During fasting, you may experience mucus-like stools, phlegm-like discharge, or stools that appear blood-tinged.
While this may be surprising, it is the process of intestinal inflammatory byproducts being eliminated and indicates that detoxification is proceeding well.
A significant increase in urine output or profuse sweating is also a normal detoxification response as excess body fluids are expelled.
If you tried intermittent fasting but found it unsatisfying, it may be time to consider more advanced detoxification.
🚨 Warning | Critical Red Flags to Monitor
✔ Those with low body weight, anemia, or low blood pressure
Gamerosesu fasting is suitable for conditions with toxin accumulation from overeating.
It is not appropriate for low body weight, anemia, or low blood pressure.
✔ Those who are pregnant, nursing, or adolescents in growth stages
Adequate nutritional intake takes priority during these periods, so fasting itself is not appropriate.
✔ Those taking insulin injections for Type 1 diabetes
There is a risk of hypoglycemia during fasting, making Gamrosesu fasting impossible.
Even with Type 2 diabetes, medication adjustment is necessary, so you must consult with a Korean medicine practitioner before proceeding.
✔ Cases where headaches persist for 3+ days during fasting or blood appears in urine
If headaches do not subside for 3 or more days, fasting may need to be discontinued.
If hematuria is accompanied by pain, inform your Korean medicine practitioner immediately.
🧠 The Why | Root Cause Analysis
The principle of intermittent fasting is clear:
Reduce total calorie intake by restricting meal times.
However, as recent research has confirmed,
the key is not 'when you eat' but 'how much you eat.'
If high-calorie foods are consumed outside meal windows, effectiveness decreases,
and after 6–12 months, weight tends to return, according to reports.
And there is an area where intermittent fasting cannot help:
removing 'toxins already accumulated in your body.'
In Korean medicine, this is called sikjuk (食積) and dameun (痰飮).
Undigested food remnants transform into toxins,
creating symptoms like chronic fatigue, indigestion, chronic rhinitis, acne, and irritable bowel syndrome.
In severe cases, it can lead to metabolic syndrome including hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.
Gamerosesu fasting focuses on removing these accumulated toxins.
When food intake stops completely, the digestive organs rest, and remaining energy converts to toxin elimination.
Medicinal ingredients in the Jehotang category (umeboshi, saein, choagwa) protect the stomach while aiding waste removal,
and Saengmaeksan-category ingredients (ginseng, ophiopogon, schisandra) support vitality.
Fasting with only water alone causes severe fatigue, headaches, and electrolyte loss,
but Gamrosesu reduces these side effects while maintaining detoxification effects.
This is also why our clinic uses constitutional herbal medicine and Gamrosesu together.
Constitutional herbal medicine expels body fluids through urine and sweat,
detoxification pills push waste through bowel movements,
and Gamrosesu rests the digestive system while accelerating toxin elimination—
creating three-dimensional detoxification where these elements interconnect.
📊 Proof | Evidence and Case Studies
Gamerosesu's effectiveness has been confirmed through multiple clinical studies published in the Korean Society of Oriental Medicine journals.
In a 2015 preliminary study, after 10 days of Gamrosesu fasting, average weight decreased 6.3% and body fat 6.5%[1].
After fasting, liver function, kidney function, and electrolytes remained normal, while oxidative stress decreased and antioxidant capacity increased[1].
In a 2016 observational study of 33 subjects, 6.9% weight reduction, 9% body fat reduction, and 8.7% systolic blood pressure reduction in hypertensive patients were observed[2].
Notably, inflammatory markers decreased while nutritional indicators actually increased[2].
In a 2018 study, a 7-day short-term program combining Gamrosesu with herbal medicine proved particularly effective for visceral obesity and edema-type obesity[3].
Among patients I see in my clinic, some come saying "I tried 16:8 but don't feel lighter."
When these patients undergo just 3–6 days of Gamrosesu fasting, they often report "My body feels much lighter" and "My chronic fatigue has decreased."
This is the change that occurs when deep waste that didn't disappear through intermittent fasting is eliminated.
🔚 Closing | Summary and Encouragement
Intermittent fasting is an excellent dietary strategy.
However, 'meal timing adjustment' alone makes it difficult to remove toxins already accumulated.
Gamrosesu fasting transcends that limitation, resting the digestive organs while providing deep detoxification.
At Dongjejdang Korean Medicine Clinic, we use Gamrosesu as one axis of our constitutional detoxification program.
Constitutional herbal medicine, Gamrosesu, and detoxification pills — when these three elements interconnect, weight drops and your body becomes lighter.
If intermittent fasting left you wanting more, it's worth considering more advanced detoxification together.
If you'd like to know which approach suits your constitution and current condition, please feel free to contact us.
✍️ Reviewed by Dr. Choi Jang-hyuk, Director of Dongjejdang Korean Medicine Clinic
❓ FAQ
Q. Can you combine Gamrosesu while doing intermittent fasting?
Yes, it is possible.
The effective approach is to maintain regular 16:8 intermittent fasting, then intensively do 3–5 days of Gamrosesu fasting when you feel plateaued.
After Gamrosesu fasting ends, returning to intermittent fasting also helps maintain eating habits.
Q. Won't taking only Gamrosesu cause nutritional deficiency?
Gamerosesu supplies approximately 420kcal of calories per day (3 sachets), and includes herbal ingredients for stamina enhancement and electrolyte replenishment.
Clinical research showed that after fasting, nutritional indicators (red blood cells, hemoglobin, total protein, etc.) actually increased.
However, fasting for 10 or more days must be conducted under a Korean medicine practitioner's supervision.
Q. What's the difference from enzyme fasting or juice cleanse?
Enzyme fasting and juice cleanse often lack specific design for mitigating fasting side effects (fatigue, headaches, electrolyte loss).
Gamerosesu is a fasting-exclusive supplement where the Korean Society of Oriental Medicine selected and formulated ingredients to address these issues, and it was the first domestically developed fasting aid to obtain a patent.
Our clinic combines it with constitutional herbal medicine and detoxification pills for more three-dimensional detoxification.
Q. Is it normal to have unusual stools during fasting?
During Gamrosesu fasting, you may experience mucus-like stools, phlegm-like discharge, or blood-tinged stools.
This is the process of intestinal inflammatory byproducts being eliminated, and persists longer with poor intestinal health.
While surprising, it is a positive sign that detoxification is proceeding well.
Increased urine output or profuse sweating are also normal detoxification responses.
📚 Reference Materials
[Korean Medicine (KM)]
[1] Oh Dal-seok, Kim Dong-hwan, Shin Hyun-taek, Shin Seung-woo (2015). "Preliminary Research for Development of Fasting Auxiliary Beverage Gamro-su (甘露水): A Case Report." Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research, 15(1).
[2] Shin Seung-woo, Kim Dong-hwan, Shin Hyun-taek, Oh Dal-seok (2016). "Retrospective Observational Study on Clinical Results of Fasting Therapy Using Gamro-su (甘露水)." Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research, 16(1).
[3] Baek Seon-eun, Park Eun-ji, Kim Hye-won, et al. (2018). "Effects of Gamro-su Fasting Therapy Combined with Herbal Medicine on Changes in Body Composition in Women: A Case Report." Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research, 18(2).
[Western Medicine (WM)]
[4] de Cabo R, Mattson MP (2019). "Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease." New England Journal of Medicine, 381(26):2541-2551.
[5] Cochrane Systematic Review (2025). "Intermittent Fasting for Weight Management in Adults." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
