Extreme Fasting Leads to Permanent Brain Damage

A woman from China's Henan province has suffered potentially permanent neurological damage after engaging in an extreme fasting regimen known as "bigu." This traditional Taoist practice involves abstaining from food, and the individual in question drastically restricted her intake, losing around 20 kg in just a few weeks.

Doctors diagnosed the woman with Wernicke's encephalopathy, a serious brain disorder resulting from severe nutritional deficiency. Symptoms included confusion, impaired balance and coordination, abnormal eye movements, and memory loss. Her gait has been described as penguin-like, with concerns that this mobility issue may be irreversible.

The case underscores the significant health risks associated with extreme dieting and prolonged fasting. While "bigu" is sometimes promoted for weight loss or detoxification, it has been linked to severe illness and fatalities, including a man who died in 2020 after 52 days of water-only consumption and another woman who experienced intestinal damage from a week of water and an energy pill.