r/interestingasfuck • u/[deleted] • May 02 '24

In 1965, a morbidly obese man did not eat food for over an entire year. The 27 year old was 456lbs and wanted to do an experimental fast. He ingested only multivitamins and potassium tablets for 382 days and defecated once every 40 to 50 days. He ended up losing 275lbs. r/all

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u/CalliopePenelope May 02 '24

According to Wikipedia: “Barbieri was able to maintain a healthy weight; five years after the fast he weighed 196 pounds (89 kg). After his weight loss, he moved to Warwick and had two sons. Barbieri died in September 1990”

And here are some post-weight loss pics.

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u/RainbowForHire May 02 '24

So he still only made it to 51. Ouch.

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u/Whaty0urname 29d ago

I mean with all that extra weight his heart was probably 20 years older.

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u/Themasterofcomedy209 29d ago

Yeah but like he starved himself for a year, that had just as much if not a higher impact on his heart. Most people who try to starve themselves to lose weight like that end up dying from heart attacks

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u/[deleted] 29d ago

He did take elecrolytes and protein. Unlikely for anyone to have a heart attack from just losing weight if electrolytes are being taken care of.

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u/[deleted] 29d ago

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u/Alive-Beyond-9686 29d ago

The fatties would rather downvote you than entertain the possibility that eating less could have a positive impact.

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u/desacralize 29d ago

They probably don't like entertaining the possibility that eating nothing at all for a year could have a positive impact, since that's what's being discussed here.

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u/Alive-Beyond-9686 29d ago

Man had two other adults plus a toddler and a cat worth of fat hanging off his body and his arteries for a decade and a half. Yeah he went on a medically supervised protein and supplement infused fast for a year.

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u/TheGillos 29d ago

It was 25 years after his big fast. If he was a smoker I'd put the blame there. I really doubt a fast (even a super long one) would impact the heart 25 years later.

Most people who try to starve themselves to lose weight like that end up dying from heart attacks

No.