Man Claims Not to Have Eaten For 68 Years

[Satori]

I have no idea what to make of this story, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless ...

http://tlc.discovery.com/news/afp/20031124/starvingman.html?ct=2536.72740961523

 

[Mr. Deathy]

That....just...cant be!

68 years without drinking.....I dont think I can believe it.

 

[Maciamo]

You were quicker than me Satori...The funny thing is that the BBc says the guy is 70 years old and hasn't eaten or drunk since he was 8 (so that's 62 years). But your article says that he is 76

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians

Doctors and experts are baffled by an Indian hermit who claims not to have eaten or drunk anything for several decades - but is still in perfect health.

Mr Prahlad Jani under surveillance in hospital

Prahlad Jani, a holy man, or fakir, who is over 70 years old, has just spent 10 days under constant observation in Sterling Hospital, in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.
...
He spent his 10 days in hospital in a specially prepared room, with a sealed-off toilet and constant video surveillance.

To help the doctors verify his claims, Mr Jani agreed to avoid bathing for his time in the hospital.

The only fluid he was allowed was a small amount of water, to use as a mouthwash.

One hundred millilitres of water were given to him, and then collected and measured in a beaker when he spat it out, to make sure none had been drunk.

A statement from Ahmedabad's Association of Physicians says that despite no water entering his body, urine nonetheless appeared to form in his bladder - only to be reabsorbed by the bladder walls.

At the end of his confinement, doctors noted no deterioration in his condition, other than a slight drop in his weight.

 

[Keiichi]

So this guy recycles his urine...
Maybe he's found a way to absorb any mineral that's in the air or something and use it for nutrition. Or maybe he doesn't need nutrition.

 

[Mayura]

it's hard to believe... and it's kind of scary...

 

[jovial_jon]

that would be handy on long distance flights so u wouldnt have to eat to crappy airline food huh?

 

[neptunemoon]

why would someone want to do that in the first place

 

[KoranRi]

wow....how anyone could do that is beyond me. Three days is hard w/o eating...I can't imagine 68 years!

 

[bakadesu]

Said man lies.

Said man has hella stamina, though.

 

[nata_no]

Originally posted by neptunemoon
why would someone want to do that in the first place

i guess maybe he was too poor to buy food to eat when young...

 

[silver angel]

creepy....I don't thinkit's even possible...

 

[Stargazer]

I can't believe this one at all....if it was months I wouldn't be surprised, but years on end with no food or water? Come on...there are some weird things in this world, though and if this was true, it'd definitely be one of the weird ones.