The pursuit of weight loss and maintaining physical fitness has become a relevant issue for many people today. In the quest for rapid weight loss, some try various diets and fasting methods, but complete abstinence from food can have serious effects on the body. Specifically, a Chinese woman demonstrated the possibility of losing weight by consuming only water for 15 days.
A 31-year-old resident of China managed to lose about 20 kilograms by eating only water for approximately a week and a half. Despite the rapid weight loss, her health sharply deteriorated: she developed problems with walking and weakened memory. After examinations, doctors diagnosed her with a severe brain condition and reported that the mobility problem might never fully resolve.
This 31-year-old woman, residing in Henan Province, China, is 160 centimeters (5 feet 3 inches) tall. Before starting the strict diet, her weight was 70 kilograms. Over 15 days, she abstained from food, consuming only water, resulting in a weight loss of approximately 20 kilograms, reaching 50 kilograms.
However, instead of improving, her health began to decline. She experienced difficulty walking, and her memory also suffered negatively. During a visit to the hospital for examination and necessary tests, a neurologist from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengzhou, San Guifang, determined that the woman suffers from a severe brain disorder called Wernicke's encephalopathy.
This type of serious brain dysfunction can occur due to a lack of vital vitamins and nutrients in the body. Symptoms include confusion, balance problems while walking, eye movement disorders, and memory loss.
According to doctors, the woman's gait resembled that of a penguin, and it was difficult for her to move normally. Specialists believe this problem may be irreversible. They attributed the woman's condition to the extremely strict diet, emphasizing the critical importance of obtaining necessary nutrients for normal bodily function. Thus, giving up all food for weight loss is clearly not recommended.
The woman explained to the doctor that she followed a fasting technique called 'Bigu'. This method is related to ancient Taoist traditions. According to these beliefs, a person can exist relying only on 'Qi'—the life energy present in the universe—by abandoning grains and food. There is also a belief that practicing this technique can lead to spiritual progress and immortality.
'Bigu' literally means abstinence from grains. It is believed that this tradition dates back to the period before the Qin Dynasty in China, which spanned from 221 BCE to 206 BCE.
Despite the antiquity of this practice, some people still consider it a way to lose weight and cleanse the body today. As for modern weight loss methods, they focus on consuming sufficient protein, regular physical exercise, and a diet low in sugar, fat, and processed foods.
Nevertheless, interest in 'Bigu' has significantly increased on social media. The hashtag #bigu garnered over 360 million views on one popular platform, and about 2.4 million people joined the discussion. Some users claim to have lost over 10 kilograms by consuming only water and vitamin supplements for a month. Others advise practicing meditation in well-ventilated areas to achieve 'Qi'.
Incidents related to health deterioration due to prolonged 'Bigu' fasting have occurred before. In 2020, a 26-year-old man died in Heilongjiang Province, China, after fasting only on water for 52 days. Two days before his death, he showed symptoms similar to dementia.
Furthermore, last year in Zhejiang Province, a woman consumed only water and one 'energy tablet' for a week. As a result, her weight decreased by about 5 kilograms, but the fast caused serious damage to the inner lining of her intestines. This led to the spread of bacterial infection in the blood and a dangerous drop in potassium levels in the body, known as hypokalemia.
Due to the increasing number of such cases, there is a growing demand to ban content promoting such extreme forms of fasting as 'Bigu'. One social media user stated that 'Bigu' is not a traditional culture but an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. Another user expressed surprise that people could practice such fasting, claiming they themselves could not go a day without food.