A shift in the atmosphere

Ms. Petrova’s return flight from Paris landed in Boston on the evening of Feb. 16. As the plane sat on the tarmac, she texted back and forth with Dr. Peshkin, trying to confirm how she should handle the package in customs. But by then, the passengers were already filing off the plane, he said, and Ms. Petrova cut short the conversation.

At first, Ms. Petrova said, her re-entry felt normal. At passport control, an officer examined the J-1 visa that Harvard had sponsored, identifying her as a biomedical researcher. The officer stamped her passport, admitting her to the country.

Then, as she headed toward the baggage claim, a Border Patrol officer approached her and asked to search her suitcase. All she could think was that the embryo samples inside would be ruined; RNA degrades easily. She explained that she didn’t know the rules. The officer was polite, she recalled, and told her she would be allowed to leave.

Then a different officer came into the room, and the tone of the conversation changed, Ms. Petrova said. This officer asked detailed questions about the samples, Ms. Petrova’s work history and her travel in Europe. The official then informed Ms. Petrova that she was canceling her visa and asked her whether she was afraid to be deported to Russia.

“Yes, I am scared to go back to Russia,” she said, according to a Department of Homeland Security transcript provided by her lawyer. “I am afraid the Russian Federation will kill me for protesting against them.”

Ms. Petrova’s attorney, Greg Romanovsky, said that Customs and Border Protection had overreached its authority by canceling her visa. He acknowledged that she had violated customs regulations but said it was a minor offense, punishable by forfeiture and a fine.

To cancel her visa, Mr. Romanovsky said, the agents needed to identify grounds for excluding her. “There are many, many grounds of inadmissibility, but violating a customs rule is certainly not one of them,” he said.

Lucas Guttentag, a professor at Stanford Law School, reviewed documents in the case and agreed. He said that Ms. Petrova had been legally admitted to the United States, and then “the government itself created the alleged improper immigration status that is now the basis for her detention.”

“Subjecting anyone to this process is wrong, and this case is both shocking and revealing,” said Mr. Guttentag, who served as a senior Justice Department advisor under President Biden and senior advisor to the D.H.S. during the Obama administration.

A spokesperson for the D.H.S., asked why Ms. Petrova’s visa had been canceled, said that a canine inspection found petri dishes and vials of embryonic stem cells in her luggage without proper permits.

“The individual was lawfully detained after lying to federal officers about carrying biological substances into the country,” the spokesperson said. “Messages on her phone revealed she planned to smuggle the materials through customs without declaring them. She knowingly broke the law and took deliberate steps to evade it.”

When the border patrol agent canceled Ms. Petrova’s visa, she became an undocumented immigrant, among the thousands detained since Mr. Trump took office. She was sent to the Richwood Detention Center to await a hearing in which she will present her case for asylum to an immigration judge.

“If she wins, she will not be deported,” Mr. Romanovsky said. “If she loses, she will be deported to Russia.”

He has also filed a petition for her release in federal court, and pressed ICE to release her on parole. “I am basically pleading for mercy,” he said. “In a different environment, I think she would have been out a long time ago.”

Ms. Petrova has spent the last month in a dormitory lined with rows of bunk beds. It is cold, and at night, the women sometimes shiver under thin blankets. Once a day, they are allowed an hour outside. Breakfast comes at different times, sometimes as early as 3:30 a.m. The hardest thing, she said, is the constant noise. The facility’s psychiatrist gave her earplugs to help her sleep.

Unable to work, she observes the women around her. Around half are Latin Americans in their 30s and 40s who crossed the border for economic reasons, she said. A second group is made up of Asians and citizens of former Soviet states, who crossed the border legally, seeking political asylum.

None of them deserve to be held under these conditions, she said. “I thought this was impossible, to be in this situation,” she said. “Even immigrants here, they have to have some rights. But it seems that nobody really cares about our rights here.”

It has challenged the view of America that she formed in Russia. “This is not the kind of America I used to know,” she said.

An empty bench

Professional golfer Phil Mickelson, who made his 32nd start in The Masters this week, has been open about his commitment to health and wellness.

The six-time major champion and three-time Masters winner has said he follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds in 2023.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has become a popular weight-loss strategy in recent years.

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There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating. 

With a time-restricted approach, the dieter only eats during a certain window. For example, with the 16/8 method, the person fasts for 16 hours and then can eat within an eight-hour span, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

Other versions involve fasting for a full 24 hours once or twice per week — or only consuming limited calories on fasting days.

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Dr. Christopher Rhodes — a longevity, fasting and biomimetics researcher in California, shared his thoughts on Mickelson’s radical fasting program, which also includes drinking coffee with supplements.

“A five-day prolonged fast like the one Phil Mickelson follows will have profound effects on metabolism and weight loss,” he told Fox News Digital.

Phil Mickelson watches on the sixth hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament on April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. The athlete has been open about his commitment to health and wellness. (AP Photos)

“It fundamentally shifts the energy state and fuel sources in the body and forces stored fat to be burned as energy, but certainly at the expense of elite athletic performance, especially in the later stages of a fast.”

Potential risks

Fasting for longer than 24 hours will deplete the body’s glycogen stores and cause it to enter ketosis, a state where it primarily burns fat and ketones for energy, according to Rhodes, who is also the founder of nutrition company Mimio Health.

“While this will accelerate fat loss and provide benefits to overall metabolic health, the body will still need to produce some of its own glucose in order to support brain function and will start to break down protein sources, like muscle, to maintain proper glucose levels.”

“A five-day prolonged fast like the one Phil Mickelson follows will have profound effects on metabolism and weight loss.”

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Over time, this will result in muscle breakdown, strength loss, fatigue and lower overall energy levels, which could hinder athletic performance, according to the expert.

Mickelson has spoken about his own muscle loss as a result of his fasting.

“I also lost muscle, so I had to start lifting, and I’ve been lifting and slowly have been getting my speed and strength back to where I need it to be,” he said during the 2023 Masters.

There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating.  (iStock)

For elite athletes, maintaining muscle mass and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said.

“Extended fasts may slow down recovery, impair high-intensity exercise performance and even reduce power output if not properly managed.” 

The doctor cautioned that a prolonged five-day fast should not be performed more than a few times per year, with plenty of recovery time in between.

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Certain groups — such as those at risk of muscle loss, like the elderly — should avoid five-day fasts, he said.

“While fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, cognition, cellular function and metabolic efficiency, shorter intermittent fasting windows or fasting-mimicking strategies may offer similar metabolic benefits without the drawbacks of extreme caloric restriction,” Rhodes added.

Smart supplements

Mickelson reportedly drinks coffee with supplements during his fasts, something Rhodes recommends as a means of preserving energy and muscle mass during weight loss.

“During prolonged fasting, the body begins to break down both protein and fat for energy, which can lead to muscle loss,” he said.

Mickelson reportedly drinks coffee with supplements during his fasts, something Rhodes recommends as a means of preserving energy and muscle mass during weight loss. (iStock)

“Supplements such as amino acids, fatty acids, electrolytes and certain metabolic bioactives can help mitigate this.”

The doctor noted that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), creatine or HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate) can help to preserve muscle tissue, performance and strength while staying in a fasted state. 

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“Likewise, supplementing with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and omega 3s like EPA and DHA, which the body cannot produce on its own, would be crucial for maintaining high-level functionality during prolonged multi-day fasting,” he added.

Phil Mickelson hits from the fairway on the first hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament on April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. For elite athletes, maintaining muscle mass and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said. (AP Photos)

Caffeine from coffee can also serve to provide calorie-free energy, Rhodes noted, while also suppressing appetite and providing a cognitive boost to combat potential fasting-induced brain fog. 

“Prolonged fasting can deplete electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium, which are essential for muscle function, hydration and energy production,” he said. “If his supplements include these electrolytes, they may help prevent cramping and fatigue.”

Importance of strength training

Regarding Mickelson’s comments about lifting weights during his fasting stints, Rhodes agreed that weightlifting is essential for preserving and building muscle during weight loss. 

“The body operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ principle, especially during periods of caloric restriction or fasting, where it’s actively needing to mobilize energy sources from the body to sustain itself,” the doctor said. 

“Muscle is one of the most energetically costly tissues to sustain, so if we’re not using it on a daily basis, the body will preferentially start breaking down muscle to conserve energy.”

Weightlifting is essential for preserving and building muscle during weight loss, experts agree. (iStock)

Resistance training sends a signal to the body that lean mass is essential for survival and tells it to prevent excessive muscle breakdown, prioritizing fat for fuel.

“For athletes like Mickelson, weightlifting also helps maintain neuromuscular coordination, joint integrity and power output,” Rhodes said. 

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“Strength training improves insulin sensitivity, enhances metabolic rate and ensures that weight loss comes primarily from fat rather than muscle.”

It’s also important to refuel after a fast with adequate protein intake, the expert added.

Finding healthy patterns

Ultimately, according to Rhodes, the best way to support long-term weight loss and metabolic health is to find a pattern of eating that works for the individual and can be sustained for the long haul. 

“During prolonged fasting, the body begins to break down both protein and fat for energy, which can lead to muscle loss.”

“While some find that periods of fasting are helpful in resetting their hunger and satiety cues and developing a better relationship with food, others may find it too restrictive and overwhelming, setting themselves up for failure and rebound binging down the road,” he said. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

“Every person is different, but prioritizing nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that are rich in fiber, protein and healthy fats can aid significantly in reducing cravings and improving quality of life and meal satisfaction.”