Which organs get damaged first due to prolonged hunger strike, when does the system start failing?

Famous environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk has gone on long hunger strikes several times to save the environment of Ladakh and get it Sixth Schedule status. It is not easy to survive in sub-zero temperatures, under the open sky, with just water and salt for 21 days. Have you ever wondered what happens inside a person’s body when he does not eat a single grain of food for weeks? Let us understand how the body systems work during a hunger strike? Which organ responds first and how does medical science save the lives of such people?

The body’s own ‘backup system’

The body does not panic when you stop eating. For the first 24 to 48 hours, the body uses glucose stored in its liver and muscles for energy. When this ends, the body goes into a process called ketosis. In this the body starts burning its stored fat for energy. During this period one feels very hungry. Feel weak and have headache. Satyagrahis like Wangchuk overcome this initial and most difficult problem with their strong intentions.

When the body starts ‘eating’ itself

After about a week, all the fat in the body starts melting and disappearing. Now the body has no option left to stay alive, so it starts producing energy by breaking down its own muscles. This is called starvation mode. A person’s weight starts falling rapidly. Bones start becoming visible and darkness starts appearing in front of the eyes even while getting up and sitting. Blood pressure and pulse rate drop to dangerous levels.

Which organ stops working first?

This is the stage where the body starts breaking down from within. In a hunger strike, the first and most fatal attack is on the kidneys and heart.

• Kidney failure: When the body breaks its own muscles, toxic elements start increasing in the blood. It is the job of the kidneys to filter them out. Due to lack of food, the balance of electrolytes (potassium, sodium) in the body gets disturbed. Due to lack of any nutrients other than water, there is a lot of pressure on the kidneys to clean these poisons and they are the first to stop working. This is called acute kidney injury.
• Danger looming on heart: As potassium and magnesium decrease in the body, heartbeats become irregular. It becomes difficult for the heart to pump blood. The risk of death from heart attack is highest during a long hunger strike.

When does the system fail completely?

According to medical science, after 3 weeks the entire system of the body starts moving towards shutdown. This is the reason why Sonam Wangchuk often limits her fast to 21 days only, because after this the risk of death increases manifold.

How to save life in the last stage?

When a person breaks a hunger strike of 21 days or more, saving life is a very delicate process. He cannot be given bread or rice immediately. If a hungry person is suddenly fed heavy food, his body is unable to tolerate it. This condition is called refeeding syndrome, which can lead to heart failure and immediate death.

medical method to save life

• Drip Support: First of all, electrolytes (potassium, calcium, magnesium) and essential vitamins are delivered directly into the blood through intravenous drip.
• Liquid substance: The patient is given liquid things like lemon water, coconut water or very thin juice with a few drops or a spoon. You must have seen that Sonam Wangchuk always breaks her fast by drinking juice.
• Weeks of monitoring: Due to continuous fasting the digestive system completely shrinks. In such a situation, the patient has to stay under the supervision of doctors for several weeks and is gradually cured by giving solid food.

Also read: Who was the first to go on hunger strike in the world? Know against whom this protest was started

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