Why can we survive longer without food than without water?

Surviving without food

In extreme survival situations, most humans can survive up to 3 weeks without food as long as they stay hydrated and depending on other factors, such as current climate, body constitution, underlying conditions, and age. In the absence of food, the body starts using up glycogen reserves stored in various parts of the body such as the liver and muscle tissue, and will convert it to glucose. Once those reserves are gone, the body will start breaking down fat and protein to sustain itself, resulting in loss of muscle mass. Going without food causes adverse reactions because the body cannot function the way it normally does, eventually leading to death.

Surviving without water

Without water, humans can only survive for about 2-3 days. Water is essential for the proper functioning of kidneys and other organs. Without water, the kidneys are unable to eliminate waste and toxins from the blood and will eventually shut down. Severe dehydration can cause a chain of events leading to serious problems in the body, such as shrinking and death of cells, increased blood pressure, brain swelling, heat stroke, seizures, organ failure and even death. It doesn’t take very long for the body to succumb to severe dehydration.

The world unites to protect the planet's water

Water is a precious resource which we must protect. March 22nd is World Water Day, and we at StemFoods Holistics want to join the worldwide effort to bring awareness to water protection and conservation. We, as a company, will be celebrating by making March 22 an annual holiday for all our associates. We encourage other organizations to join in celebration of World Water Day!