Chinese woman, 31, faces lifelong walking issues after water-only diet cuts 20kg in weeks
A woman from central China undertook a fasting regimen for half a month and lost 20kg, but ultimately suffered from a serious brain disorder from which she may never fully recover. The 31-year-old woman from Henan province, who wishes to remain anonymous, was recently reported by local media to have developed walking difficulties and memory deterioration after consuming nothing but water for 15…
In central China, a 31-year-old woman from Henan province undertook a water-only fasting regimen for 15 days and lost 20kg. However, her extreme diet led to a serious brain disorder - Wernicke's encephalopathy - caused by a deficiency of essential vitamins and folic acid. Neurologist Sun Guifang from The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University diagnosed the woman with the condition after she began experiencing walking difficulties and memory loss.
Her gait resembled that of a penguin and her condition could potentially be irreversible. Bigu, a Taoist fasting technique that involves subsisting solely on qi, is believed to have originated before the Qin dynasty. Despite modern weight loss recommendations advocating for nutrient-rich diets, many still consider bigu an effective method for weight loss and detoxification.
Social media has amplified the popularity of bigu, with the hashtag #bigu garnering 360 million views and sparking 2.4 million discussions. While some claim to have lost over 10kg through the practice, others have experienced serious health issues, including dementia-like symptoms and fatal complications. In 2020, a man from Heilongjiang province died after fasting for 52 days, developing dementia-like symptoms just two days before his death.
Last year, a woman in Zhejiang province lost weight through a week of water consumption and an "energy pill," but her fasting resulted in severe intestinal damage leading to a life-threatening infection. There is a growing demand to ban such content, with many calling it an unhealthy lifestyle.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
