cramps and you have zero energy. But these symptoms are fleeting and usually disappear

活力盡失。但這些症狀通常轉瞬即逝，

once we eat our next meal. But what if you had nothing to eat, what happens to your body

只要我們持續進餐。但假如你斷米絕糧，身體會作何反應，

when it’s starving?

當你飢餓難耐呢？

Hey there, Lissette here for DNews. Starvation occurs when your body is consuming fewer calories

嗨，我是DNews的Lissette。飢餓感發生在身體攝取少於

than those required to sustain life. It is most commonly the result of famine, extreme

一個人維持生命所需的熱量。它普遍起因於飢荒、過度

dieting, complete fasting for a cause, or disease. Roughly one out of every nine people

節食、有緣故的禁食或是疾病。每九個人大概就有一人

do not have enough to eat, but despite this widespread problem, starvation is not well

進食不足。雖然這個問題十分廣泛，它仍尚未被深入

understood. Not because it is not important, obviously, but because it's difficult to systematically

理解。顯然並非問題不打緊，而是困難點在於有系統性地

study inanition or the impact of starvation on the body.

研究營養匱乏或飢餓對身體的沖擊。

The lack of experimental data on the subject is largely due to the fact that it is unethical

資料的短缺多半因為這種實驗是不人道的，

to conduct a study that requires participants to go without food. And that its effects depend

實驗對象被要求絕食。飢餓的效力也取決於

on many factors - such as the weight of the person before they began to starve, their

眾多因素－實驗前的體重、

genetic makeup, their health and whether they are drinking water. But what we do know comes

基因組成、健康狀況以及能否喝水。目前我們所知源自於

from controversial studies like Minnesota University’s starvation experiment from

一些尚有爭論的研究。例如明尼蘇達大學對飢餓的研究早於

the 1940s.

1940年代便著手進行。

During World War II, famine became a pressing issue for many countries around the world.

二戰時期，飢荒儼然成了各國不容忽視的議題。

At the time, scientists were eager to understand what happened to the human body in the process

當時，科學家亟欲了解飢餓如何逐漸影響人體。

of starvation - partly because they wanted to understand how to help patients recover from it.

其中一個原因，是他們想幫助患者從飢餓復原。

It is not as simple as allowing someone to eat unlimited quantities of food - this can

這並非無限量供餐就能解決的，反之還會

actually make recovering patients sick because it’s difficult for the body’s systems

令病患感到噁心。消化系統很難

to rapidly adjust to eating food again and because hungry people tend to overeat to the

一下子適應重新進食的刺激，而且餓昏頭的人容易飢不擇食

point of vomiting.

甚至反胃嘔吐。

So the scientists at Minnesota University recruited volunteers by offering military

因此明尼蘇達大學的科學家開始募集志願者，藉由提供因戰事而

men who had been drafted, the opportunity to participate in their study in lieu of military service.

被徵招的軍人一個參與研究的機會，以替代服兵役的義務。

The 36 men who were finally selected were all healthy conscientious objectors to the war.

最終36位健康勤懇的反戰軍人被遴選出來。

They were required to walk 35 kilometers a week (22miles) throughout the entire study.

整個實驗期間，他們被要求一週走上35公里 (22英里) 。

But during the first 12 week control period, the men’s diets were regulated so that they

前12週為控制期，他們的飲食受到調節，以便

would reach an ideal healthy weight before the semi-starvation phase - the second period in the study.

在進入半飢餓狀態前，亦即實驗的第二階段，能先達到正常理想的體重。

In this semi-starvation period of 24 weeks, the participants caloric intake

為期24週的半飢餓階段，受試者的熱量攝入

was cut in about half - from 3,000 to about 1500 calories. To get them as close to their

從3000大卡銳減至1500大卡，幾乎少了一半。為求甩掉他們

goal of a 25% total weight reduction, the researchers adjusted the participants' food portions.

近乎四分之一的體重，研究人員調整了食物的配額。

The researchers found, that in this semi-starvation phase, participants went through

研究人員發現在這段期間，受試者遭受了

a number of changes. Due to extreme weight loss, the men displayed physical symptoms

一連串的改變。由於體重流失慘重，外表出現了一些症狀。

like protruding ribs, sullen eyes, and gaunt cheeks,

像凸出的肋骨、空洞的眼神、削瘦的雙頰，

as well as swollen extremities likely from a lack of blood protein production.

甚至因缺乏血液蛋白而造成的四肢浮腫。

Physiologically, their metabolic rates decreased - meaning that their bodies reduced the number

生理上，代謝頻率下降表示身體正試圖減緩

of calories they expended while resting. Their heart rates dropped, temperature decreased,

休息時的熱量消耗。他們的心率下降、體溫降低、

libido declined, and breathing quieted. It was like their bodies were slowing down to

性慾低落、呼吸微弱，似乎全身放得越慢越能

conserve as much energy as possible.

保存更多的能量。

Psychologically, the men became preoccupied with food - talking, writing, and even dreaming about it.　　

心理上，他們開始為了吃而焦慮－說的、寫的甚至連夢都與食物有關。

They reported depressive symptoms, irritability, and a lack of interest in everyday activities.

他們回報了抑鬱病徵、變得易怒、對日常活動也興致缺缺。

Interestingly, while the men reported cognitive deficits, the tests the researchers

有趣的是，雖然受試者有回報認知缺陷，施行檢測的研究人員

administered did not confirm this. More recent studies on nutrient deficiencies, however, have found

卻沒有證實如此。然而近來有關營養不良的研究卻指出

that a lack of adequate nutrition can negatively impact cognitive function.

重度的營養缺乏會嚴重傷及認知功能。

Although the Minnesota study is over seventy years old, this research is still the most

儘管明尼蘇達的研究已有超過70年歷史，它仍

comprehensive look at how the body tries to cope with starvation. Given that 795 million

最能詳實呈現人體對飢餓的反應。鑒於全球有795百萬的

people suffer from undernourishment around the world, it’s evident that more research is needed.

人們「飽」受營養不良之苦，我們顯然需要更多的研究。

But the scientific dilemma is that starving your research volunteers is highly

尷尬的是，讓實驗對象忍飢捱餓是極度

unethical.

不道德的。

Today, scientists must rely on gathering data from autopsy and case studies -

如今科學家必須仰賴屍體解剖及個案的資料收集－

from sources like victims of war who died of starvation. Through this new data, we have learned that

來源有戰時餓死的受害者等等。透過新資料，我們得知

starvation affects children more intensely. It can permanently affect development - stunting

飢饉對兒童的影響尤其劇烈。它能永久性地干擾發育－不但妨礙

their growth and they are also more vulnerable to dying - at about 32 days of complete starvation

正常成長，他們死亡率亦高居不下。小孩32天未進食就會死亡，

compared to 70 days for adults. For children and adults alike, autopsy studies have shown

相較之下成人則需70天。解剖研究亦顯示大人小孩的共通點：

that when death occurs from starvation, the body has completely used up its fat reserves

當一個人飢餓而死，人體會耗盡脂肪的存量

and about 25-50% of other organs and tissues. This helps explain why the body can suffer

以及分解25%-50%的器官或組織。這也是

permanent organ damage when undernourished.

飢餓造成器官永久受損的主因。

But, this isn’t a thing of the past. In fact North Korea, has recently announced to

但這並非昔日才有的問題。事實上，北韓不久前才宣布

its citizens that they should prepare for famine. To learn more, check my other episode

舉國上下得為飢荒做些準備。欲知詳情，來觀賞另一部影片，

on whether North Korea is starving its citizens.

講述北韓是否使人民挨餓。

By 2013, the country’s food aid had dropped almost 20-fold.

截至2013年，北韓的糧食救濟縮水了近20倍

The United Nations reported in 2015 that 70 percent of North Koreans are food insecure,

2015年，聯合國報告指出，70%的北韓人民三餐不繼，

and more than a quarter of children under five are chronically malnourished.

五歲以下的小孩更有超過四分之一長期營養不足。

As you can see, we cover a wide range of topics, so if you have a science question you’d

同你所見，DNews 涵蓋五花八門的主題。如果你有科學問題想要

like us to answer, let us know in the comments and tag it with #AskDnews.

我們替您解惑，打在意見欄並標記#AskDnews。