A 31-year-old woman in China developed a serious brain disorder after going on an extreme diet that involved consuming nothing but water for 15 days.
Doctors at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University diagnosed her with Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a serious brain disorder caused by severe nutritional deficiency. The condition can cause confusion, problems with balance and coordination, abnormal eye movements and memory impairment. The doctor attributed the condition to the woman’s extreme diet, stressing that the human body requires regular food intake to obtain essential nutrients. He also cautioned that extreme dieting and prolonged fasting can carry serious health risks. She later suffered severe intestinal damage, a bloodstream infection and dangerously low potassium levels.
Last year, a woman in Zhejiang lost 5kg after consuming only water and an “energy pill” for a week.
