09-23-2025, 03:45 PM
n 1965 a 27-year-old Scotsman walked into a hospital and said:
“I want to stop eating. Completely.”
His name was Angus Barbieri. He weighed 207 kg (456 lb). Doctors agreed to watch him for a short fast. They expected days. Not a year.
What happened next was wild. Angus drank only water, tea, black coffee, and took vitamins plus sodium (Na) and potassium (K) — electrolytes the doctors gave him to keep his heart and nerves working. Hunger faded. His body burned fat like fuel. Week after week the kilos fell away. He said later, “I forgot what hunger feels like.”
382 days later he ate again — a boiled egg, a slice of bread, a little butter. He’d lost 125 kg, down to 82 kg (180 lb), and he kept the weight off.
Two important things to remember:
Electrolytes (Na & K) mattered. Without proper sodium and potassium replacement, long fasts can cause dizziness, muscle cramps, and dangerous heart problems. The supplements and regular monitoring were a key reason doctors could keep him safe.
Don’t try this alone. Angus was under strict medical supervision with regular blood tests. This kind of fast is risky and must never be attempted without doctors.
Angus’ case is one in a million — amazing, but not a how-to. If you want to try short fasts, make electrolyte balance (Na & K) non-negotiable — and see a clinician first.
“I want to stop eating. Completely.”
His name was Angus Barbieri. He weighed 207 kg (456 lb). Doctors agreed to watch him for a short fast. They expected days. Not a year.
What happened next was wild. Angus drank only water, tea, black coffee, and took vitamins plus sodium (Na) and potassium (K) — electrolytes the doctors gave him to keep his heart and nerves working. Hunger faded. His body burned fat like fuel. Week after week the kilos fell away. He said later, “I forgot what hunger feels like.”
382 days later he ate again — a boiled egg, a slice of bread, a little butter. He’d lost 125 kg, down to 82 kg (180 lb), and he kept the weight off.
Two important things to remember:
Electrolytes (Na & K) mattered. Without proper sodium and potassium replacement, long fasts can cause dizziness, muscle cramps, and dangerous heart problems. The supplements and regular monitoring were a key reason doctors could keep him safe.
Don’t try this alone. Angus was under strict medical supervision with regular blood tests. This kind of fast is risky and must never be attempted without doctors.
Angus’ case is one in a million — amazing, but not a how-to. If you want to try short fasts, make electrolyte balance (Na & K) non-negotiable — and see a clinician first.
