Dangers of extreme fasting: Woman suffers severe neurological damage after stopping eating
A 31-year-old woman, a resident of Henan province, China, is under strict medical observation after facing a severe health crisis stemming from an extreme fasting practice. The patient, who attempted to lose weight through a regimen consisting solely of water consumption for 15 days, suffered an accelerated loss of 20 kilos, triggering neurological complications that have put her mobility and cognitive capacity at risk.
The woman’s clinical condition, who is 1.60 meters tall and started with a base weight of 70 kilos, began to deteriorate notably at the end of the fasting period. She presented difficulties walking, memory lapses, and notable disorientation, which forced her relatives to seek urgent specialized care.
The origin of the problem: “Bigu” fasting and vitamin deficiency
According to reports, the woman underwent a modality known as “bigu,” a practice linked to Taoist traditions that promotes the restriction or total elimination of food. By taking this method to the extreme, the patient’s body suffered a severe nutritional collapse.
Neurologist Sun Guifang, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, diagnosed the patient with Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a critical condition caused by a severe deficiency of thiamine or vitamin B1.
This vitamin is fundamental for the functioning of the brain and the nervous system. Its prolonged absence prevents the body from correctly processing nutrients, leading to the symptoms that the patient presented:
- Mental confusion and memory problems.
- Difficulty maintaining balance.
- Severe gait and mobility disturbances.
Long-term consequences and medical warning
Doctor Sun Guifang has been emphatic in warning that some of the neurological sequelae suffered by the patient could be permanent. Although the woman continues to receive treatment, the full recovery of her mobility and cognitive functions remains uncertain and will depend on her body’s response to intensive nutritional and neurological therapy.
This case serves as a stark warning about the risks of rapid weight loss methods. The specialists at Alofoke Deportes reiterate that effective and healthy weight loss must always be a gradual, individualized process, and above all, supervised by health professionals. Severe dietary restriction not only reduces calories but also deprives the body of essential proteins, minerals, and vitamins, compromising vital organs such as the heart and brain.
