Can anyone give me an accurate/general starvation timeline?
Answer:
pretty much shriveled up and begging for nutrients... pale skin, very weak and not very attractive at all!
http://larkspirit.com/hungerstrikes/diar...
As long as the person is receiving enough water to stay hydrated, the body can live off of fat and protein stores in the body for several weeks. How long the person can go without food actually depends on the size and health of the person to begin with, i.e. a 200 lb. individual is likely to live longer than a 90 lb. individual assuming equal health at beginning.
The Merck Home Handbook has a great site with more information detailing symptoms, treatments, and whatnot.
I assume we are talking about absolutely no food, but some water. With no water it would go pretty fast, less than a week. The first day will have some hunger pains. By the 2-3 day the hunger pains are significantly less. By about the 4th day, the bowels become loose and discolored. By about the end of the first week, amazingly enough, the person is weak and tired, but a certain amount of strength returns. By the end of the first week, there will probably be significant weight loss. By the end of the second week, the body will be feeding on its own muscles and bones for energy. By the end of the third week, the skin will have begun to discolor and the face will show obvious signs of unhealthy weight loss. By this time, whenever water would be drank, it would be coming out the other end in very close proximity to when it was drank, around 20 seconds or so if not instantly. By the end of the 4th week, many people will have given up and died, but not everybody. By this time, emaciated is probably a good word to describe the condition. Depending on how large and thick a person was at the beginning of the starvation period, the ribs would be seen and would stick out farther than the stomach. If it hasn't happened already, the immune system will have stopped working correctly and lack of energy and ability to combat germs and other sicknesses. By the end of the fifth week, we are talking about skin and bones. If a person makes it to the end of the 6th week, they have outlived the doctor's expectations of about 40 days or so. I believe G-d can supernaturally sustain somebody like Moses in a long fast or 80 days, but without supernatural provision it doesn't bode well for the person.
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