What are the dangers of starvation? Food and water are essential to living and without it for a certain period can and will lead to death. Your body needs food and water to function properly from a health and wellness perspective.
What are the dangers of starvation? iStock-photo credit: Nadzeya Haroshka
If you don’t receive enough calories to support everyday life, then that is known as starvation. And starving yourself is very dangerous and can lead to severe illness and up to death. Studies have shown that with no food or water your body can survive for up to a week. With no food but just water only the body can survive potentially for up to two to three months.
A 2018 research study found that if a person with a BMI lower than 18.5 will shorten their life by 4 and ½ years for male and females. If you go without food for 2 days your glycogen and glucose are depleted. And your body begins to break down muscle tissue to provide energy.
And if you go without food for 5 days you can lose about 2 to 4 pounds a day. Your energy levels will be extremely diminished because you are not consuming any food or calories to support your energy levels.
Interestingly people have survived with no food but just water for weeks and up to several months. If you decide to starve yourself with no food or water, then your survival expectancy lowers tremendously because this affects the functionality of your kidneys.
Some of the side effects of starvation are:
• Dizziness
• Low energy
• Dehydration
• Low blood pressure
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Fainting
• Organ failure
The Bottom Line is the danger of starvation is dehydration, fainting, organ failure, low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances and up to imminent death.
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References
1) Kottusch P, Tillmann M, Püschel K. Oberlebenszeit bei Nahrungs- und Flüssigkeitskarenz [Survival time without food and drink]. Arch Kriminol. 2009 Nov-Dec;224(5-6):184-91. German. PMID: 20069776.
2) Haselwarter D, Wild V, Kuehlmeyer K. Providing health care in politically charged contexts: a qualitative study about experiences during a public collective hunger strike of asylum seekers in Germany. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2022 Dec;17(1):2018770. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2021.2018770. PMID: 3497 Sanvictores T, Casale J, Huecker MR. Physiology, Fasting. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534877/
