Hunger strikers

IncredibleHulk

When the hunger strikers began to starve did they burn the muscle first and what would happen if at the point of death they changed their mind?

Presumably by then their muscle would be gone and fat almost gone. How would they get their muscle back?

This is really just something I wondered when thinking about the burning of muscle instead of fat.

tribulus

Eh by eating food and lifting weights! I mean if they're at the point of death it might be a drip and other more drastic measures but why would them putting back on muscle be any different once they're away from the point of death and eating regularly again/more healthy?*

*Assuming no lasting effects from the starvation etc.

IncredibleHulk

tribulus wrote:

Eh by eating food and lifting weights! I mean if they're at the point of death it might be a drip and other more drastic measures but why would them putting back on muscle be any different once they're away from the point of death and eating regularly again/more healthy?*

*Assuming no lasting effects from the starvation etc.

Hi tribulus
No I didn't mean when they are back healthy. IO just wondered what treatment would save them if all muscle is gone. This is not to do with weights just something I wondered think about the burn muscle concept
Thanks!

tribulus

Haahah ooops! Dunno really, lots of glucose and electrolytes to stop them dying for a start maybe, not a doctor though so wouldn't know the protocol.

PeakOutput

IncredibleHulk wrote:

Hi tribulus
No I didn't mean when they are back healthy. IO just wondered what treatment would save them if all muscle is gone. This is not to do with weights just something I wondered think about the burn muscle concept
Thanks!

ALL the muscle would not be gone you will die before that happens you would be left with wasted and week muscles alright but they would still be there and would be connecting the various bones (i assume your suggesting the muscle is completely gone and your completely unable to move)

i could be wrong on this but i think when you die of starvation you die because your body cannot get any sugars and you go into a coma and then die like a diebetic would if things went wrong. im open to correction but i dont think its because there is literally no more fat/muscle in the body

Hanley

I reckon a mineral defficancy could play a contributing factor too, purely based on empirical evidence from bodybuilders.

The majority of deaths you see are diuretic in nature, and caused by the loss of vital minerals such as pottasium etc, everything just ceases up and the body shuts down in these situations.

Something similar might happen with hunger strikers, I honestly don't know!!

I guess if you're trying to rehab a hunger striker, the first thing to do is make sure they're not dead. Once they're stable and can exist normally again I'd guess slowly increasing the kcals should correct alot of the damage. It's not too often you hear of a hunger striker looking to compete in the Mr. O tho so I'd say indicative cases are ummm limited?

yomchi

IncredibleHulk wrote:

When the hunger strikers began to starve did they burn the muscle first and what would happen if at the point of death they changed their mind?

Presumably by then their muscle would be gone and fat almost gone. How would they get their muscle back?

This is really just something I wondered when thinking about the burning of muscle instead of fat.

Having met and know a good few of the hunger strikers from the 1981 period I got a lot of good info in relating to the physical suffering they endured.

Most of them said the first thing to suffer was their eye sight apart from their strength to stand up. Of the ten that died in '81 and as far as I know most of them were completely blind.

When the hunger strike came to a close, the one's that were close to death were put on immediate drips of vitamins and minerals and a substance to start rehydrating them gently.
Unfortunately, for most of them they contracted illnesses and some have died not so long ago as a result of their body's destruction during the strike- Pat McGeown for example who fasted for 47 days. Some have impaired vision, joint problems (arthritis), cancer and cardiac difficulties all due to the fasting. Obviously they all regained any muscle tissue that was lost but it seems the long term effects on their immue systems etc is going to tough.

Hope that answers your thoughts!

arybvtcw0eolkf

If anyone wants to know whats endured by a hunger striker buy and read

Ten Men Dead:

The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike

by David Beresford

I'm guessing Jon has read it. One of my favourite books.

spiral

Yeah great book, very good read. One guy actually was on hunger strike for 70 days and survived :eek:

rubadub

Presumably by then their muscle would be gone and fat almost gone. How would they get their muscle back?

Your body starts feeding on itself, pretty much eating up all organs. Your heart would weaken as your body feeds on it, also you would need energy to keep basic functions going, keeping warm etc.

The muscle might come back surprisingly well, like people after having legs in casts etc. Or these before/after pics where people were bodybuilding, stopped and started again- called "muscle memory" or something.

yomchi

spiral wrote:

Yeah great book, very good read. One guy actually was on hunger strike for 70 days and survived :eek:

Thats right Laurence McGeown

JayRoc

Mairt wrote:

If anyone wants to know whats endured by a hunger striker buy and read

Ten Men Dead:

The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike

by David Beresford

I'm guessing Jon has read it. One of my favourite books.

Agreed. It should be on the curriculum of every school in the country.

arybvtcw0eolkf

JayRoc wrote:

Agreed. It should be on the curriculum of every school in the country.

Are ya joking!.

Sorry and I know this is a fitness forum. But when the government or the Presidents office couldn't send a respresentative to the funeral (Friday) of the last remaining veteran of the war of independence whats the chance of Irish children being taught anything about our recent history.

yomchi

I think if any state representative turned up to Dan Keating's funeral he'd come alive and run them off himself

ps @Mairt - it was the 'Tan War'

Zzippy

Mairt wrote:

Are ya joking!.

Sorry and I know this is a fitness forum. But when the government or the Presidents office couldn't send a respresentative to the funeral (Friday) of the last remaining veteran of the war of independence whats the chance of Irish children being taught anything about our recent history.

+1. I only did history up to inter cert and then chose other subjects, but I remember it being a bit strange that Irish history stopped in 1921, and world history in 1945!