Shenzhen man develops kidney failure and neurological issues after 20 days of starvation

A 30-year-old unemployed man in Shenzhen, China, has been diagnosed with acute kidney failure after surviving for 20 days on only snacks and water due to financial hardship and debt. After 10 days of eating only biscuits and another 10 days of drinking only water, the man experienced severe abdominal pain, dizziness, and loss of mobility.

Following emergency hospitalization and three rounds of hemodialysis in his hometown, the man suffered sudden vision loss. Doctors at Zhejiang University School of Medicine First Affiliated Hospital identified a secondary condition: Wernicke encephalopathy. This acute neurological disease was caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin B1, which was further depleted during the dialysis process, damaging brain regions responsible for eye movement, balance, and cognition.

Separately, medical experts noted that sleep apnea can also lead to significant health complications, including nocturia and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and stroke.