When a person is hungry, how does the body start eating itself to stay alive?

Arab Weather - The besieged Gaza Strip is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis threatening the lives of 2 million people as a result of the unjust blockade and the ban on all forms of food entry. As the situation worsens, the question arises: How does a person die of starvation? And what are the stages of starvation, from a scientific and medical perspective?

Stage 1: Extreme hunger

At first, the person feels symptoms such as:

• unbearable hunger
• persistent headache
• Dizziness and loss of concentration
• These symptoms are caused by low blood sugar and energy levels.

Stage 2: The body begins to eat itself.

When food is not available, the body begins to break down proteins in muscles and tissues to compensate for the deficiency, which leads to:

• rapid weight loss
• severe general weakness
• a marked decrease in body temperature

Stage 3: The Real Danger

At this stage, the body completely collapses and serious symptoms begin to appear, such as:

• cramps
• frequent fainting
• High sensitivity to infection
• The end often results in cardiac arrest as a result of tissue decomposition.

How long does it take for a person to starve to death?

Studies indicate that a person can die of starvation within a period ranging from 3 weeks to 70 days, depending on age, health, and water consumption.

Death by starvation in Gaza: a humanitarian catastrophe caused by the world's silence

With each passing day without food, thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip are moving closer to a slow death. Given the lack of effective action, the need for urgent international action to save the lives of innocent people is growing.