The guy who went without eating for 382 days also managed to go without using the toilet for almost 2 months

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Angus Barbieri may not be a household name, but he's responsible for one of the most extraordinary human feats: he went more than a year without eating and lived to tell about it. 

Doctors have estimated that a healthy person could last about 30 days without eating, but Barbieri's longest-ever fast lasted 382 days.

At the time, Barbieri was just 27 years old and from Scotland. He began his fast with a weight of 456 pounds, and lost 276 pounds before ending at 180 pounds.

His feat catapulted him to fame and a spot in the record books. In addition to the long fast, he also fasted for 37 to 48 days without needing to go to the bathroom. I'm not sure if there's a record for that, though.

Barbieri did not plan to fast for an extended period of time, but decided to fast after ‘adjusting well’ and ‘wishing to reach his ‘ideal’ weight’. 

Barbieri's fast wasn't just water and sugar. It also included vitamins and electrolytes, as well as an unknown amount of yeast, as well as zero calorie drinks such as tea, coffee and sparkling water. 

Despite doctors' advice to only fast for a short period of time, Barbieri said he refused to go back to food and said he felt fine. 

He was allowed to go home with regular visits to the hospital during his fast, although doctors have not advised others to do so as normal fasting can lead to health complications. 

It is thought that Barbieri's body began to burn fat for energy as soon as he began fasting. 

For the final eight months of his fast, Barbieri's glucose levels were consistently low, and he was allowed to return to the hospital regularly for checkups.

Fortunately, Barbieri did not experience any health problems during his fast, but he did recall that he had “forgotten what food tasted like.” 

Barbieri completed his fast on the 11th of July, 1966, and his first meal was probably one of the most anticipated of all. After all, what would one eat first if they hadn't eaten for more than a year? 

Barbieri's initial feast, as per news reports back then, consisted of a boiled egg and a slice of toast slathered with butter.