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A very heart-wrenching case has come to light about how the strange ‘weight loss trends’ going viral on the internet and social media can push a person’s life to the brink of death. A young woman living in China, inspired by the claims of social media influencers, took a dangerous step to lose weight rapidly. She did not eat even a single grain of food for 15 consecutive days and survived by drinking only water. Due to this extreme water fasting, his weight reduced by 20 kg, but in return he completely lost the balance of his body and mind. The situation became so dire that the girl’s central nervous system got damaged and instead of walking like a normal human being, she started walking like a penguin.
Weight loss craze: Depended only on water for 15 days
According to reports, the girl was under stress for a long time regarding her increased weight and physical appearance. Due to some social event and personal reasons, she wanted to lose a lot of weight in a very short time. Without consulting any doctor or certified dietician, he adopted the most dangerous form of ‘water fasting’. For 15 days he did not take fruits, vegetables, proteins or any solid or liquid nutritious food. She satiated her hunger only by drinking several liters of plain water throughout the day. In the initial days, the weight dropped rapidly, due to which he completely ignored the primary warning signs like weakness and dizziness.
Panic in the body: Fatal neurological attack on the brain
Due to not getting food for two consecutive weeks, the levels of essential nutrients in the girl’s body, especially vitamin B1 (thiamine), sodium, potassium and magnesium reached near zero. In medical language this condition is called ‘acute thiamine deficiency’. Thiamine is considered the most important vitamin for the functioning of neurological signals and muscles of the human brain. Its absence caused severe inflammation and neuronal damage in the girl’s cerebellum (the part of the brain that controls body balance and muscle movement). This is called ‘Wernicke’s Encephalopathy’ in the medical world.
‘Penguin’ like gait and loss of memory: Doctors shocked
On the 15th day, when the girl started getting up from bed, her legs stopped working completely. Her legs became numb, her vision became blurry and she was unable to stand straight without support. When her family immediately admitted her to the neurology department of a nearby hospital, doctors noticed that she had lost her balance and was waddling like a penguin with both legs wide apart, which is called ‘ataxia’ in medical term. Apart from this, her memory had become weak, she was unable to answer simple questions and her ability to speak was also faltering. The team of doctors were stunned after seeing the MRI and blood reports.
Why are crash diets and water fasting a direct invitation to death?
According to neurologists and nutritionists, when a person stops eating completely, the body first burns the glycogen stored in the liver and muscles, thereby losing a huge amount of water. People mistake this for fat loss, whereas in reality it is the loss of muscle mass and essential electrolytes.
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Metabolic Shutdown: Prolonged fasting slows down the metabolism completely and the body goes into ‘starvation mode’.
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electrolyte imbalance: Sudden deficiency of sodium and potassium increases the risk of cardiac arrest and kidney failure manifold.
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Risk of Refeeding Syndrome: Eating food suddenly after a long fast can cause the phosphate level in the body to fall, which can prove fatal.
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Permanent brain damage: Due to damage to the nerves, many times the patient may become paralyzed or suffer from mental disorder for life.
Intensive treatment in hospital and strict warning from doctors
The young woman who was admitted to the hospital was immediately given high-dose thiamine, multivitamins and electrolytes through an intravenous (IV) drip. Neurologists say that although efforts are being made to reduce the swelling in his brain through medicines, the damage done to the nervous system may take months or years to completely recover. In some cases this damage remains permanent for life. Doctors have made it clear that one should never blindly trust the misleading advertisements and videos like ‘zero calorie diet’ or ‘loss of 15 kg in 10 days’ that are viral on the internet.
What is the right, safe and scientific way to lose weight?
According to fitness and health experts, healthy weight loss is a slow and steady process. To lose weight without harm to the body, these basic rules must be followed:
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Correct ratio of calorie deficit: Reduce only 300 to 500 calories from daily requirement, do not stop eating completely.
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Balanced Nutrition: It is mandatory to include adequate protein, green leafy vegetables, healthy fats and fiber in the diet.
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Regular physical activity: Instead of just going hungry, make it a habit to do 45 minutes of cardio, strength training or walking every day.
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Expert Care: Before starting any type of diet plan, get your medical history checked by a qualified dietician and doctor.