There ’s an urban caption that speaks of a human who managed to shake off over ( 113 kilograms ) 250 pounds only by not run through anything for over a class . But is it actually possible for the human body to go without food for this long?Remarkably , this unknown story is n’t just a modern - day folk tale , it appears to have actually happened , albeit with one or two minor caution .
publish in thePostgraduate Medical Journalin 1973 , a grammatical case field of study by doctors at the University of Dundee School of Medicine documents the narration of a “ grossly rotund ” 27 - year - old serviceman in Scotland undergoing 382 days of fast in an endeavor to lose weight .
Staggeringly , the man look to repress his weight from 206 kilogram to 81 kilograms ( 456 to 180 pounds ) and remained in surprisingly good health . Five year after the extreme fasting , his weight remained unchanging at 88 kilograms ( 196 pounds ) .
“ ab initio there was no purpose of making his fasting a lengthy one , but since he adapt so well and was eager to hit his ' ideal ' weight , his fast was continued into what is shortly the longest recorded fasting ( Guinness Book of Records , 1971 ) , ” the doc write .
He did not eat any strong food during this metre , although he was given K and atomic number 11 supplement , vitamins , and a pocket-size amount of yeast ( which contain protein ) . And if you were wondering about pooping , the doctors mention that he only had a bowel movement every 37 to 48 days .
The humans on a regular basis visited the hospital to have his blood and urine tested to check his roue glucose levels and plasma electrolyte compactness . Although most of these tier luxate as the months went on , he managed to remain in amazingly in effect health and safe intent .
“ Despite the hypoglycaemia [ low descent loot ] the patient remained symptom - free , felt well and walked about commonly , ” the case paper append .
So , how is this potential ?
If you are eat food regularly throughout the day , your organic structure will find most of its vigor from glucose in your bloodstream and liver . Cells apply this glucose for the synthetic thinking of ATP , a molecule that carries energy within cells . If there ’s no glucose immediately useable in the blood or liver , we are also capable of produce it from glycogen , a retentive chain of glucose that can be stored in the liver and muscles until it ’s required and broken back down . Beyond that , the consistence can break down body adipose tissue into glycerol , which can finally be convert into glucose , and free fatty acids , which can be change into ketones .
Since the man had such a plentiful store of glycerine , locate in his heaps of body blubber , he was able to live off this last process for a surprisingly long amount of time , with just a picayune help along the way from supplements . However , it ’s passing potential that he would have died if it was n’t for the K , sodium , and yeast supplements , which are crucial for biological functions inside the body . For example , atomic number 19 is absolutely essential to nerve impulses and muscle contractions , among many other bodily processes .
Nevertheless , if you are fleshy and looking to lose some pound , fasting is not an advisable style to go about it at all . Many peoplehave diedattempting to fast and the risks of this extreme " diet " far preponderate the benefit .
[ H / T : Snopes ]
