A woman in China's Henan province suffered severe brain damage and is unlikely to fully recover after employing an extreme weight loss method. To lose 20 kg from an initial 70 kg (at 1,60 meters tall), she consumed only water for 15 consecutive days. As a result, she was rushed to the hospital with memory loss and an inability to walk normally.

Doctor Ton Que Phuong, a neurologist at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, diagnosed the patient with Wernicke's encephalopathy. This acute neurological disorder stems from a severe deficiency of nutrients like vitamin B1 and folic acid. It is commonly observed in chronic alcoholics, individuals with prolonged diarrhea, or those suffering from severe malnutrition. Symptoms include: delirium, impaired eye movement, cognitive decline, and loss of balance when moving.

Illustration: Binh Minh

Medical experts state that vitamin B1 is an essential nutrient for the brain's energy metabolism. However, the human body cannot synthesize it and must obtain it through daily diet.

The body's vitamin B1 reserves are very limited; therefore, prolonged fasting depletes this nutrient, leading to damage to brain nerve cells. The doctor warned that the patient's current penguin-like unsteady gait is likely to become a permanent sequela, and could even be life-threatening if not addressed promptly.

Through this case, medical experts caution that rapid weight loss over a short period is primarily due to the loss of water and muscle mass, not fat. Prolonged fasting also slows down metabolism, making the body prone to regaining fat once normal eating resumes, creating a vicious cycle of "the more you lose, the fatter you get."

The medical community recommends that weight loss adhere to scientific principles: combining a balanced diet with regular exercise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a medically safe weight loss rate should range from 0,5 to 1 kg per week (equivalent to 2-4 kg per month). Individuals should absolutely not fast or only drink water to chase illusory numbers on the scale, as this risks irreversible health damage.

Binh Minh (According to SCMP, Sina Finance)