Answer to Question #176281 in Biochemistry for Rizwana Sikandar

Question

The weight of person ABC is 65 kg. About 11.5kg of his weight is due to fat deposits in his body. He went for a hunger strike. Can you explain how long he can survive?

1. Without food and water

2. With water and without food

Answer 1

1) 8 to 21 days without food and water.Fats are broken down into glycerol and free fatty acids, with the glycerol being turned into glucose in the liver via the gluconeogenesis pathway. When even the glucose made from glycerol reserves start declining, the liver starts producing ketone bodies.

2) For total starvation in healthy individuals receiving adequate hydration, reliable data on survival are hard to obtain.