How the freed hostages should eat in the coming hours

With the hostages now in Israeli custody, one of the main concerns is avoiding life-threatening complications such as salt imbalances and refeeding syndrome. Therefore, the nutritional protocol for the released hostages will be implemented gradually and meticulously, to ensure that the deficiencies are filled.

In the first days, the main attention was focused on the health of the hostages, including fears that they had suffered from prolonged starvation. Thus, clinical nutrition specialists will supervise their dietary treatment, adhering to a strict and progressive protocol.

Upon arrival at an IDF base, the hostages were given tea with a teaspoon of sugar, three cookies and applesauce. They also received 100 mg of thiamine, a vitamin (B1) essential for the body’s metabolic processes.

A deficiency in this vitamin can lead to neurological symptoms, including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a serious neurological disease characterized by confusion, impaired eye movements, and other symptoms that can lead to permanent brain damage.

During refeeding, where the body begins to use energy from carbohydrates again, the demand for thiamine increases. Early administration of thiamine can prevent refeeding syndrome, a life-threatening condition marked by severe metabolic imbalances.

This condition includes decreases in blood levels of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium as well as a sharp increase in the demand for thiamine, which can lead to cardiac and neurological complications.

Thiamine supports the proper functioning of critical systems, such as the heart, and promotes cellular energy recovery after fasting.

Without proper treatment, thiamine deficiency can lead to fatigue, weakness, lactic acidosis, and impaired central nervous system function. Therefore, administration of thiamine is an essential part of the treatment process for starvation victims to ensure a healthy and safe recovery.

Ministry of Health Guidelines:

Each hostage will have their vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation, monitored every four hours during the first 24 hours of feeding. Additionally, comprehensive blood tests will be performed and deficiencies will be corrected gradually based on the results and BMI (calculated as weight divided by height squared).

According to the Health Ministry’s plan, each hostage will be classified according to their BMI. A BMI between 16 and 18.5 (the normal range is at least 20) is considered moderate risk, while a BMI below 16 indicates high risk and severe starvation.

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Depending on their nutritional status, hostages will receive multivitamin supplements once daily for at least 30 days, as well as vitamin D (due to time spent in the dark) and vitamin B12.

Hostages at moderate to high risk will also receive fluid supplementation based on their body weight and caloric nutrition to address deficiencies. Some hostages may also receive glucose infusions. Progress will be tracked, with the goal of increasing calorie intake by 33% of goal daily or every other day. The ultimate goal is to meet all nutritional needs within 5 to 10 days.

Each hostage will receive an information sheet stating:

“After a long period of limited eating, it is very important to return gradually and moderately to a regular diet to prevent life-threatening complications that can result from rapid exposure to food and drink after a prolonged period of significantly reduced food consumption. reduced.

To help prevent short-term deterioration in nutrition and health, it is recommended to eat gradually and cautiously until you return to the amounts you are used to.

The medical center’s dietitian will accompany you throughout the process and help you select and adjust the types and amounts of foods and beverages daily, based in part on the results of various medical evaluations.

This support will continue even after discharge from the medical center until nutritional rehabilitation is completed. Recording the types and amounts of food and drinks consumed each day can help provide accurate guidance. »