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A 450 Pound Man Did Not Eat Food For Over A Year And He Lost 275 Pounds

February 5, 2018

In June of 1965, a 27-year-old man weighing 456 pounds walked into the University of Dundee in Scotland looking for help.

Doctors recommended a drastic course of action: stop eating altogether.

Patient A.B., as doctors referred to him in the case report, responded to so well to the fasting that they decided to prolong it while regularly monitoring his health. They warned A.B. that it was dangerous to fast for long periods of time, but he wanted to keep going.

Days without food turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months.

Regular blood-sugar tests assured doctors that he wasn't eating. Doctors collected urine samples every 24 hours. He only defacated once every 37-48 days.

He took a multi-vitamin every day and was given potassium and sodium supplements when necessary. He was only allowed to drink noncaloric fluids, such as coffee, tea, and sparkling water.

On July 11, 1966, A.B reached his goal weight of 180 pounds. He did not eat food for 382 days (one year and 17 days) and lost 275.5 pounds.

Five years later, doctors followed up with A.B and found that he'd kept almost all the weight he'd lost off, weighing in at 196 pounds.

Sources: Postgraduate Medical Journal (1973) / BMJ Journal