Another common physiologic change that occurs during the refeeding process is refeeding edema or swelling (not to be confused with the edema caused by Pseudo-Bartters syndrome which can occur upon the cessation of purging). During the refeeding process, one of the many hormones at play is insulin.

How long does refeeding edema last?

If no pharmacologic intervention is undertaken, edema and weight gain have been observed to peak between 4 to 10 days after purging ends, and can last up to 2 to 4 weeks.

What causes refeeding edema?

What leads to edema during refeeding? According to the authors, two basic mechanisms cause edema formation, namely a change in capillary hemodynamics that favors the movement of fluid from the vascular space into the interstitium, and the retention of sodium and water by the kidneys.