After WWII, What caused the deaths of concentration camp survivors fed too much too fast?

Question

What is the physiologic mechanism of death when chronically malnourished people are suddenly given adequate food?

Although sudden feeding was obviously
a shock to the chronically malnourished persons' sytems, what vital orgen specific physiologic/biochemical anomalies were
key factors contributing to death from the sudden influx of calories and nutrients?

Answer 1

Their bodies were literally unable to process the calories. The human body is remarkable in its ability to adapt. We are designed to shut down systematically, sacrificing the non-essential parts to save the essential ones. First we live off the fat, then the muscle, then the organs that are nonessential. At the same time the body begins to shut down non-essential functions to conserve energy. Concentration victims were not starved in one sudden shot - they were systematically starved over many months and years. Over time, their bodies become extremely efficient at performing only the most vital bodily functions on a minimum of calories.

Unfortunately, when they were rescued and fed, a massive amount of calories, fat, protein, etc were put into their system at once. For bodies that had been conditioned to exist on the barest minimum, it was too much. Systems couldn't simply restart, and the sudden intake of so many calories literally sent the body into shock, much like freezing or a sudden trauma. That type of shock would be completely survivable by a normal body, in much the same way a roller coaster ride is survived and enjoyed. But for their abused bodies, it was too much. There were reports of people scarfing down bowls of potato and pork-fat soup ravenously, only to die from shock, a smile still on their face.

Very, very sad.
.