Rabbit starvation, or protein poisoning, is caused by excessive protein consumption without enough fats, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. It can lead to severe malnutrition and even death. Native Americans in forested areas were more susceptible due to a diet of mostly lean game. Excessive protein consumption strains the liver and causes symptoms of malnutrition. Health experts advise against high protein diets without monitoring.
Rabbit starvation, also known as protein poisoning, is a dangerous health condition caused by excessive protein consumption along with deprivation of fats, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. The common name refers to the fact that this condition can be caused by almost total subsistence in lean, wild animals, such as the rabbit. Left unchecked, the disease can cause severe symptoms of malnutrition and can lead to a fatal buildup of toxins in the bloodstream.
The discovery of rabbit starvation is related to early health studies and Native American observations. Tribes in Alaska and the polar region subsisted largely on game on large amounts of fat and carbohydrates, such as seals and whales, and rarely suffered from this form of malnutrition. By contrast, Native Americans affected by this condition tended to come from forested areas where harsh winters resulted in a diet of mostly lean game. The rabbit famine was first described by the Arctic explorer Vilhjamur Stefansson in the late 19th century, but Charles Darwin also mentioned it in his journals.
The mechanics behind the rabbit hunger is quite simple. Protein in the body is converted to glucose by the liver and can be burned for energy. However, the liver can only safely process a limited amount of protein at a time. If the body receives more protein than it can safely convert into glucose, the resulting strain on the liver and kidneys can cause an increasing buildup of ammonia and amino acids. The liver then dumps these excess byproducts into the bloodstream, causing dangerous and even fatal consequences.
In addition to straining the liver, excessive protein consumption also causes various symptoms of malnutrition, such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and constant hunger. These symptoms occur because the body is deprived of necessary nutrition that only provides fats, carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as vitamins. Symptoms will occur regardless of how many calories a rabbit-starved person eats, as the body has a limited ability to process energy and nutrition from protein. Therefore, a person can be eating an enormous amount of food, and still experience weakness, hunger, and other symptoms of malnutrition.
The possibility of rabbit starvation leads many health experts to advise against some high protein diet regimens. Although the exact upper limit for safe protein consumption is not widely agreed upon, some authorities suggest that protein poisoning becomes a concern if protein comprises more than 35% of daily caloric intake. Some suggest that high protein diets should be monitored by a doctor or dietitian to prevent rabbit hunger from taking hold.
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