Contents:
- Medical Video: What Will Happen If You Eat Nothing for 7 Days
- This is what happens to the body when not eating all day
- The body relies on a source of protein instead of sugar
- Often not eating all day causes health problems
Medical Video: What Will Happen If You Eat Nothing for 7 Days
To be able to do daily activities, of course you have to get energy from food. Many people think that if he doesn't eat all day he doesn't have any problems with his body. However, is there really no bad effect that occurs if you don't eat in a day? Here's the answer.
This is what happens to the body when not eating all day
During the first eight hours, your body will continue to digest your last food intake. Your body will use carbohydrates stored as energy and continue to function as if you will eat again soon. About 25 percent of glucose is used to move the brain and the rest for muscle tissue and red blood cells.
After eight hours of not eating, glucose will run out. Your body will begin to break down stored fat in the form of fatty acids to be converted into energy. When energy is produced from fat, the body will produce ketones, which are a by-product of fat metabolism. This process is called ketosis.
If you really don't eat anything all day, your body will continue to use fatty acids to create energy for the rest of your 24 hour time quickly.
Unfortunately, there are some organs that cannot function properly even though they have received energy from fatty acids, for example the brain. The brain is an organ that can only "eat" glucose. Therefore, when this happens the brain will experience a malfunction.
Even so, ketosis is not always a bad thing. This is often experienced by many athletes such as marathon runners, and low-carbohydrate diets also often trigger ketosis in the body to help with weight loss. In small doses, such as during intermittent fasting, ketosis can have benefits for the body.
The body relies on a source of protein instead of sugar
But things will get worse, when you don't eat all day or more than 24 hours. The brain will decide to need more than just ketones to survive. Your body will begin to break down proteins in the body which will be used as fuel for all body systems. This condition is called autophay.
Proteins that are used as energy ingredients will be taken from muscle tissue, because in these tissues there are many muscle building proteins stored. If you don't eat at that moment, the body will continue to take protein to become energy and make the muscles shrink.
After the protein from the muscle runs out and the muscle tissue is completely shrinking, the body will continue to look for other protein sources. The only remaining energy source is the body's tissues and organs as the second largest protein storage in the body.
By breaking down tissue proteins and organs, you may last up to three weeks or even 70 days, depending on whether you stay hydrated or still have plenty of fat reserves to use as energy. If this continues for weeks it can be life threatening.
Often not eating all day causes health problems
Often not eating all day at a time can cause side effects and increase your risk for certain complications. Not eating all day more than twice a week can increase the risk of arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms) heart and hypoglycemia (reduced blood sugar levels)
People who have eating disorders, type 1 diabetes, are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18 years of age, and are undergoing recovery surgery, are very vulnerable to the effects of not eating all day.
