Internal starvation

Internal starvation is the bodily state in which preference is given to exogenous compounds to provide metabolic energy.

Explanation

The human body can obtain energy by metabolizing a variety of compounds from food: fat, protein and carbohydrate. Within each category, there is a variety of effects in how each subtype affects metabolism and caloric balance. Dietary protein and fat have a limited effect on the insular ([[insulin]) regulation of energy balance. With respect to carbohydrate, if the edible source causes a rapid rise in blood sugar, the body will engage a variety of homeostatic mechanisms to ensure that the amount of blood glucose (a basic metabolite of most types of carbohydrate in food) is not excessively elevated for long periods of time. To accomplish this, the body must favor carbohydrate to be burned for energy instead of lipids (fat). At the cellular level, the mitochondria increase enzymes that utilize glucose (from blood sugar) as a substrate, while simultaneously decreasing the enzymes that utilize fat (from diet or endogenous fatty acids). Over time, the body develops a propensity to burn glucose instead of fat for energy. This leads to a state where a person will crave carbohydrate in order to have energy, but when they eat carbohydrate and entail a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, the body tries its hardest to reduce blood sugar.

In order to control a rise in blood sugar levels, a variety of mechanisms have developed in the human body. The main player is the hormone insulin, which serves a variety functions that both enhance and degrade the metabolic milieu. To promote survival, insulin makes sure that blood sugar does not rise to levels that damage the tissues (see diabetes), influences tissues to use glucose as fuel, and promotes for storage as body fat any excess glucose that cannot be used within an hour or so of ingestion. This CREATES an internal environment that favors more carbohydrate as a source of energy as more carbohydrate is consumed.

Now we have a cycle: the cells needs glucose for energy so carbohydrate is craved and subsequently consumed. Consumption of sugary or starchy foods raises blood sugar levels, so the body must control blood sugar via homeostatic mechanisms. If not immediately burned for energy needs, the blood sugar is converted to lipid and stored as fat. As the sugar in the blood is processed and stored, the blood sugar available for cellular energy drops, and more is desired. Food cravings ensue and cause further carbohydrate consumption; and weight gain ensues as fat is stored as the person consume excess sugar without the body being able to utilize it for energy; but ironically, more carbohydrate must be consumed to provide glucose for the cells.

With adequate time, weight gain is seen in persons who develop cases of internal starvation. The body is unable to use the large energy reserves that are present in the adipose tissue. “Internal starvation” means that the body is starved from the inside, not finding any source for energy because sugar cannot be stored beyond a meager amount within the muscle tissue and liver. The constant presence of insulin stimulates a positive caloric balance (weight gain) because the sugar in the blood is very damaging when sustained at high levels for long periods of time.

Controversy

Scientists wonder why obesity rates have surged upwards in the past 30 years. The overwhelming consensus is the concept of "positive caloric balance", when calories are consumed in excess of what is used and any excess is stored in the body's fat stores. The blame is often placed on fast food and low activity due to television, video games, internet activities, and other non-physically engaging forms of entertainment. In contrast, a rational approach would examine why any obese state has existed at any time in recorded history, and not focus on the recent explosion of factors that obviously contribute to the current obesity epidemic. Records show that people have struggled with obesity long before any modern conveniences were available. In his Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public,William Banting explains how a simple change in his diet proximated a newfound lifestyle that allowed him a refreshed vigor in daily activities.

Understanding weight gain is difficult without a primer of the concept of homeostasis: when the property of either an open system or a closed system, especially a living organism, regulates its internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition. In human beings, an elegant example is found in the regulation of blood sugar. When sugar is ingested in the form of simple sugars (cane sugar, molasses, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, etc.), starch, honey, or fruit; each type of sugar is rapidly digested and the result is a rapid increase in the mmol/dl of glucose in the bloodstream. The consequences of poorly regulated blood sugar are deadly (see Diabetes).