Table of contents:
- This is what happens to the body when you don't eat all day
- The body relies on protein sources as a substitute for sugar
- Often not eating all day causes health problems
To be able to carry out daily activities, of course you have to get energy from food. Many people think that if they don't eat all day, it's okay with their body. However, is it true that there are no bad effects if you don't eat in a day? Here's the answer.
This is what happens to the body when you don't eat all day
During the first eight hours, your body will continue to digest your last food intake. Your body will use the stored carbohydrates for energy and continue to function as if you were going to eat again soon. About 25 percent of glucose is used to power the brain and the rest for muscle tissue and red blood cells.
After eight hours of not eating, the glucose is depleted. Your body will begin to break down the stored fat in the form of fatty acids to convert it into energy. When energy is produced from fat, the body will produce ketones, which are a byproduct of fat metabolism. This process is called ketosis.
If you eat absolutely nothing during the day, your body will continue to use fatty acids to create energy for the rest of your 24 hours 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. So, when this happens the brain will malfunction.
Even so, ketosis isn't 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 protein sources as a substitute for sugar
But things will get worse, when you don't eat all day or for more than 24 hours. The brain will decide it needs more than just ketones to survive. Your body will begin to break down protein in the body which will be used as fuel for all body systems. This condition is called autophay.
Protein, which is used as energy, will be taken from muscle tissue, because it contains a lot of muscle building protein. If you don't eat right away, your body will continue to take protein for energy and make your muscles shrink.
After the protein from muscle is depleted and muscle tissue has actually shrunk, the body will continue to look for other protein sources. The only remaining source of energy is the body's tissues and organs as the second largest protein storage in the body.
By breaking down the proteins of the body's tissues and organs, you may last up to three weeks or even up to 70 days, depending on whether you stay hydrated or have plenty of fat reserves to use for 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 more than two times a day per week can increase the risk of developing heart arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythm) and hypoglycemia (reduced blood sugar levels)
People who have an eating disorder, type 1 diabetes, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18 years of age, and are recovering from surgery, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of not eating all day.
