We human beings try to take care of ourselves as well as possible and we try to keep our body functioning by providing it with certain needs. We speak, for example, of the consumption of food and liquids with a certain periodicity, of the hours of sleep to revitalize ourselves, etc.
The task, in principle, does not seem arduous, since it is the organism itself that gives us the keys to carry out these needs. For example, when we get very sleepy and our eyelids close, when the throat dries up and tells us that we need water or when the belly “grows” asking for food. But how long can a person go without eating or drinking? Is it possible to last for days? In the following article we will tell you about it.
How long can a person last without eating or drinking – answer
The answer will vary greatly depending on factors such as, for example, if the person in question is subjected to physical exertion or not. In general terms, an individual can last 40 days without eating (although there have been cases of people who have lasted 60) and 3-5 days without drinking.
However, and as we have mentioned, the physical state of the person in question has a great influence, since a balance of liquids must be maintained and those that come out must be compensated for, either in the form of sweat or urine. Said loss can be accelerated with heat or physical exercise, and if the level of liquids that our body possesses is not compensated, we can reach two situations:
- Overheating the body (sweating stops).
- Decrease in blood pressure.
When these two factors come together, the consequences are very serious and can even lead to the death of the person. On the other hand, it should be noted that any drink can compensate for these levels of liquids except alcohol, as it is a product that dehydrates even more.
On the other hand, a person who ingests liquids but is deprived of food will last (in the case of being a healthy individual) approximately 40 days.
How long can an elderly person go without eating?
To answer faithfully, more than age we should look at the constitution of each person, since the healthier the individual is, the longer it will last. The fact that obese people can better weather famines is no joke, because the truth is that the more body fat we have, the greater the resistance to lack of food.
In general terms, as we mentioned in the previous section, we can go about 40 days without eating, but it will vary depending on our physical state and the factors we face. For example, if such a fast begins when we already lack many nutrients or if we lack water or other liquids, our stamina will decrease. On the contrary, there have been people who have managed to resist famine for up to 73 days with constant hydration. Let us remember the case of Gandhi, who reached 21 days taking small sips of water every day. Thus, there are three fundamental pillars to fight against hunger:
- The water consumed daily
- The weight of each individual
- The health of each person
How long can a child go without eating or drinking?
For the little ones, the information given above on how long you can go without drinking or eating is also adapted; It will be necessary to see the health of the little one, the daily hydration that he obtains and if he is exposed to factors of physical wear. Remember that energy reserves are stored in our body in the form of fat, which is why we must also take into account the weight of the child.
After two days of not consuming nutrients, the boy or girl may begin to present symptoms such as extreme fatigue, stomach pain, dizziness , etc. That’s why, we advise you to call a pediatrician immediately if your little one hasn’t eaten for days. The doctor will explain to you what foods you can gradually introduce into your diet so that you do not have problems digesting them.
On the other hand, it should be remembered that to enjoy good health it is recommended to drink 4 to 6 glasses of water a day (from one year to 10 years) or 8 glasses a day (from 11 to 18 years). In this other article on How to drink two liters of water a day , we talk about the benefits of good hydration and how to reach the recommended minimum daily water intake.
