What is the longest possible time a human being can go without eating?

Question

Is there a record of this somewhere?

Research has to have been done on this subject right?

Answer 1

There have been political hunger strikes where the participants starved themselves to death. This gives us some good insights about starvation, especially since some of the people would just stop eating, while others would try to condition themselves beforehand and put extra salt and such in their tea to prolong the starvation so their protest could last longer. I don't have the original article, but I think this Wikipedia entry is about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Irish_hunger_strike

How long does it take?

First off, if you don't drink anything, you'll die in about 3-14 days. Humans who starve may not be eating, but it is assumed that they are DRINKING some kind of fluids. Otherwise it is death by dehydration.

Someone who just stops eating, and drinks nothing but water, will last maybe a month and a half- there are of course variables like the person's activity levels, initial weight and fitness, etc.

Hunger strikers often drink tea, and can add lemon and salt, in the case of Ghandi, and stretch their deaths on for a few months. Some have "conditioned" their bodies by spending alternate months overeating and fasting, and this is said to extend the length of time.

Hunger strikers whose goal is to die by starvation (political suicide) need to be cared for by healthier people, because they will be bedridden for a good chunk of the end as their muscles and organs are eaten. I read about a strike where the people actually set up special houses to go to.

It's an extremely painful way to die. I would definitely say that the monks who set themselves on fire to protest the Vietnam War suffered a lot less.

Answer 2

There have been documeted cases of people surviving up to 60 days without food, but they drank water. Without food AND water, the conventional wisdom is three to five days. As far as research goes...it all would have to come from people that conducted hunger strikes for whatever reason. You would to be pretty demented to research this in a lab setting.

Answer 3

depends on what they had eaten, what their body mass/physiology is like, and how much energy they expend moving around or trying to stay warm. They say Jesus fasted 30 days in the desert, and many have perished since trying to do the same because they also suffered from exposure. I'd say to last a week is pushing it even for survivalists, 24 hours can be pretty brutal if you can see or smell food but not have any.

Answer 4

Well that depends on what you are counting as eating. If you cut out all calories it is doubtful that you would live more than a week. However, people such as Ghandi went on hunger strikes that cut out foods, but drank juices in order to survive. He was able to fast for 21 days.

Answer 5

As of today the record holder is Nicole Ritchie. She hasn't eaten anyfood in 18 months.

Answer 6

There was a guy that got lost in the woods for over 12 days.

Answer 7

Hitler conducted experiments on this, a new born baby will live 21 days before dying, if given no milk water or food,

Answer 8

properly Chap, i'm basically going to refrain from agreeing or disagreeing. You seem to me to be in a state of an unfinished exploration in loose attention that doesn't relatively choose my criticism.

Answer 9

depending on metabolism and body fat it varies from 15-40 days without eating and 2 weeks without drinking

Answer 10

Depends on the human and whether or not they have access to water.