Starting his fast in June 1965, Angus Barbieri consumed nothing but vitamins and calorie-free drinks for over a year. This is recorded as the longest fast in history, and it helped him lose over 125 kg.
Angus Barbieri’s brief information and decision to fast
Who is Angus Barbieri?
Angus Barbieri was born in Scotland in the late 1930s. Not much information is available about him, except that he worked at his father’s fish and chips shop.
The decision to lose weight
At the age of 27, during his youthful and active years, Angus Barbieri weighed over 200 kg and suffered from an eating addiction that left him paralyzed and exhausted from being overweight. Therefore, Angus decided to take drastic action to achieve his weight goal of around 80 kg.
The bizarre weight loss journey
Initially, the doctors prescribed Angus Barbieri a short-term fast during which he would not consume any solid food.
At first, Angus planned not to fast for more than 40 days. This was also the maximum fasting duration recommended medically. However, his body adjusted remarkably well, and Angus informed the doctors that he wanted to continue fasting.
Angus Barbieri was prescribed multivitamins, including potassium, sodium, and yeast to compensate for the nutritional deficiencies. In addition to these supplements, he survived only on low-calorie or calorie-free drinks such as black coffee, tea, and sparkling water.
For the most part, Angus fasted at home, but he frequently visited the hospital for check-ups and occasionally stayed there so the doctors could monitor his weight loss progress and blood levels.
Amazingly, despite such a strict regimen, apart from lower blood sugar levels, there seemed to be no negative effects on Angus’s body. Additionally, due to the lack of solid food, he only needed to use the restroom once every 40 to 50 days.
The miraculous results of the fasting process
In July 1966, after 1 year and 17 days of not consuming any food, Angus Barbieri achieved his target weight of over 80 kg. He lost 125 kg at an average rate of nearly 1-2 kg per day, which is approximately 10 kg per month.
When he began eating again, Angus had breakfast with a boiled egg and a slice of buttered bread, and that alone was enough to make him feel full. He told reporters that he had forgotten the taste of food.
It was truly an incredible transformation. People around him could hardly recognize Angus after his fasting and weight loss. It would take two people of his new size to fit into his old clothes. Since that time, Angus maintained his weight and slim figure after the weight loss. Until his death in 1990, he only regained about 7 kg.
In 1971, Angus Barbieri was recognized by the Guinness World Records for having completed the longest fast. However, Guinness decided not to acknowledge fasting records anymore as they do not encourage this unsafe behavior.
The scientific information behind Angus Barbieri’s effective fasting method
During his fast, Angus Barbieri’s body switched to using stored fat for energy through a process called “autophagy.” According to Medical News Today, autophagy is a natural process where cells break down and regenerate, acting as a way to “clean out” unnecessary or dysfunctional components.
Autophagy can be triggered by fasting. During fasting, cells in the body are under stress, forcing them to function more efficiently. To achieve this, cells may eliminate unnecessary or damaged parts. In Angus’s case, the extreme nature of his fast put significant pressure on his cells, leading to autophagy.
Recent studies on autophagy suggest it can have positive effects on various health conditions, such as improving liver function, reducing liver damage from alcohol or drugs, and alleviating Wilson’s disease (a copper metabolism disorder). It can also aid the immune system by clearing out toxins.
However, autophagy is not without risks. Other studies have indicated that while this process can inhibit cancer cell growth, it might also promote or negatively affect cells in the brain and heart.
In Angus Barbieri’s case, fasting did not have many severe impacts on his body. But other fasting cases from the same period were not as fortunate. Patients who fasted for extended periods often suffered from heart failure, and some died from starvation.
Although Angus Barbieri’s story is undoubtedly inspirational, medical experts still do not recommend fasting for more than 40 days. Angus’s fast was conducted under the supervision of the Dundee Royal Infirmary. That Angus achieved this without adverse effects is extremely rare, and it is unlikely this feat will be replicated.
Angus Barbieri’s remarkable weight loss journey through fasting remains an inspiring but rare example of extreme dieting. It is a testament to human determination and the complexity of weight management that requires oversight from health authorities.
