A starvation diet is any diet that mirrors the conditions of involuntary starvation. These types of diets either severely restrict calorie intake or allow only water or other low-calorie liquid intake. Water fasting is an example of a starvation diet. Following a starvation diet over an extended time period can have serious consequences for your health. Always consult with your doctor before starting a new diet.
Normal Body Metabolism
When you eat a normal meal, the meal will contain carbohydrates, protein and fat. These three food components act as fuel for your body. The body converts carbohydrates into glucose, protein into amino acids and fat into glycerol and fatty acids. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles until the depots are full. After that, it is converted into fat. Excess amino acids and fatty acids are converted into fat and stored.
Starvation and Ketosis
During starvation, the calorie intake is significantly lower than the calories the body needs for maintenance and motion. No excess fuel is stored. To avoid damage to the brain and vital organs during starvation, the body begins to empty its fuel storage. First the body uses the glycogen stored in the liver. It then turns to the fat depots. Ketone bodies are a byproduct of fat metabolism. According to Michael R. Eades, M.D., while the brain cannot use fatty acids as a fuel when there is a shortage of glucose, it can use ketone bodies. When the brain shifts from using glucose to using mostly ketone bodies as an energy source, you are in ketosis.
Weight Loss
How much weight you will lose depends on how much energy your body needs to move and maintain itself. On average, a woman will need 2000 calories per day, and a man will need 3000 calories. One pound of fat corresponds to about 4000 calories. So, on a strict starvation diet, a woman could lose 1 lb. of fat every two days, and a man could lose 1 lb. of fat in a day and a half. Water loss is common on a starvation diet. As the body will do what it can to avoid wasting vital energy during starvation, metabolism quickly slows down, which means that the daily weight loss will be smaller if the diet continues for many days.
Health Consequences
It is doubtful that starvation for a day or two will have any negative consequences for your health. However, the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, the most comprehensive study of starvation to date, demonstrated that when starvation is allowed to continue for an extended period of time, it can seriously harm your body. If you do not eat, your body will not get essential nutrients, including essential fatty acids and amino acids. This will affect both the synthesis and the optimal function of a number of catalysts and neurotransmitters. This means that your brain and body will malfunction. If starvation is continued until the body fat percentage is about 5 percent, the body will begin to metabolize its own muscles, connective tissue and vital organs.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories; Mayo Clinic staff; Oct. 6, 2009
- Michael R. Eades, MD; Metabolism and Ketosis; May 2007
- NutriStrategy: Calories from Fat, Protein, Carbohydrates, Alcohol
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; They Starved So That Others Be Better Fed: Remembering Ancel Keys and the Minnesota Experiment; Leah M. Kalm and Richard D. Semba; June 2005
Member Comments