STARVATION: Unveiling the facts within
Imagine a young boy, Ibrahim, sitting in a classroom, his tummy tense with hunger. He hasn't eaten since yesterday, and his vision is blurring as the teacher speaks. His hands tremble slightly, and a peculiar dizziness sets in. Ibrahim tries to concentrate, but his mind wanders to the last time he ate a full meal. Now, let's look at the science behind Ibrahim's body. Photo credit: Rashidat Afolabi What Happens When You Starve? When you don't eat for a long time, your bodies go into survival mode. The first several hours without meals may seem like normal hunger, but as time passes, a complicated series of physiological changes begin to occur. 1. The Switch for Energy (0–6 hours): The body starts by burning glucose (sugar) from the last meal. If no new food enters, it begins to break down glycogen (stored sugar in the liver). 2. The Breakdown of Fat (6–72 hours) : When glycogen runs out, the body begins to burn fat for energy, producing ketones. This explain...