2024-08-29 07:33:23
Malnutrition begins when the body does not receive enough nutrients to function properly. If the condition persists and is not treated, the muscle loses strength and basic functions are damaged. Approximately eight weeks the human body can go without food before a fatal outcome.
The eight weeks a body can last without eating before death can vary depending on the person’s storage and muscle mass. However, without drinking water, survival is very short, as José Pablo Suárez Llanos explained to EFEsalud, member of the Nutrition section of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN).
“Without drinking water, survival is very short, generally only between 3 and 5 days, since the human body is mostly made up of water and dehydration can quickly lead to organ failure and death,” said Suárez Llanos.
The first is affected when the body stops eating
According to the latest report on the state of food and nutrition security in the world, prepared by United Nations agencies, 733 million people suffer from hunger in the worldwhich represents 9.1% of the world’s population. Since 2019, the number of people suffering from hunger has increased by 152 million.
At the beginning of starvation, the expert explained, the body uses its glycogen stores, “the body’s glucose storage,” followed by stored fat.
If there is malnutrition, the body begins to break down muscle for energy, which leads to loss of muscle mass, weakness, and the inability of basic body functions.
The digestive and immune systems are the first to be affected.
On the one hand, “a lack of nutrients reduces the body’s ability to digest and digest food properly, and it weakens the blood, making it more susceptible to disease.”
In the long term, the SEEN member continued, vital organs such as the heart, kidneys or liver can be “severely affected.”
And the first symptoms of malnutrition can be felt within a few days: fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating.
The redemption
Recovery from a malnutrition process must be “gradual and monitored by professionals,” continued Suárez Llanos. It is advisable to start with foods that are easy to digest and rich in nutrients.
Soups, broths and fruits and vegetables are recommended foods.
“It is important to monitor for regurgitation syndrome, a fatal condition that can occur when food is processed too quickly in people who are malnourished, causing severe electrolyte imbalances,” the expert warned.
Result
Malnutrition can have long-term consequences. Chronic muscle weakness, osteoporosis, heart disease and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are some of them.
“Full recovery can be difficult and some of the damage can be permanent, depending on the duration and severity of the malnutrition,” says Suárez Llanos.
If the body’s malnutrition is not treated and the body continues to go without food, the result is death.
died from hunger
Death due to starvation occurs when the body takes all its energy and food reserves, and vital organs begin to fail, the expert continued. SEEING.
Common causes of death include cases of prolonged starvation, severe infections due to a compromised immune system, and heart failure.
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