Does the human body lose weight when it dies?

Answer 1

For the purpose of this question, I will presume that you are speaking about right at the moment of death, and not what follows, such as decomposition.

There are some scientists who claim that there is a very tiny change in weight of the human body right at the moment of death. I have heard quotes of as small as 7 grams (1/4 ounce, approximately) to 21 grams. There was a film called "21 Grams" (and a darn fine film, too) which used that premise that that is the weight of the soul, and that it is noticeable and weighable when it leaves the body, but that is the only thing I have ever read.

Sometimes, as the various sphincters relax, the body may release urine and feces, and that, naturally, makes a difference in the weight of a body, but that does not always occur. As far as I know (and I am a medical transcriptionist, not a doctor), there is no medical reason to believe that the body loses weight on the moment of death. And realistically, when you think about it, even a person's spirit, if you believe in the soul, probably does not have any weight, just as intelligence does not have it's own weight, but is rather lumped in with the weight of the brain.

Later on, after death, there are chemical changes in the body which result in weight changes, but those are all part of the natural process of decomposition, which begins almost immediately, but which is not discernable to the human nose right away.

Thanks for the interesting question. I have a feeling I will be thinking about and looking into this in the days to come.

Answer 2

No, there is no proof of this. The "souls of mice"-thing also mentioned here is fake.

There were some very bad experiments in the early 1900:s which bodies lost a few ounces of weight, but the results varied very much and could easily be because of loss of bodily fluids, especially water. The body gains heat quickly as it can not cool itself after death which could account for water loss, combined with cemical changes in the body such as decomposition etc. But the simple answer is: nobody knows, but the experiments made have been so bad they can easily be ignored. Also, many of the experiments are fake, made up stories, etc. So no, there is no reason to believe this to be true, none at all.

It could still be true though, but there is just no reason to belive that. That would be a leap of faith and an "argument of the gaps", which according to Occhams razor should be dismissed.

Answer 3

As a student doing clinicals at the ER we had a 2 year old girl come in legally dead (unresponsive to verbal or physical stimuli, not breathing beyond 3-6 min which almost guarantees brain damagee and no pulse or heart beat. I had ironically been asking this very same question since I have had multiple near death experiences ANYWAY had a scale operating table. She came in and I started CPR as the the doc injected epinepherone (adrenaline) when a pulse and breathing started no weight change until losing her a 2nd time when 23G was lost. Iater realized only 23 cannot be the sum of two multiples. Kinda weird.

Answer 4

Instantly, it is said to lose 21 grams... the phenomenon became the title of a very good movie with Sean Penn and Naomi Watts.

I would assume as decomposition occurs, the human body loses weight. The skeleton of a person would weigh much less than the person alive with skin, organs and muscles...

Answer 5

Weight Loss After Death

Answer 6

Yes...the water in your body will evaporate, so your body will lose weight.
Several years ago, I remember reading an article about some scientist that tried to prove that your soul had weight. Such that when you died, you would instantly lose a teenie, tiny portion of your mass...not sure how that storyline has gone since then...

Answer 7

Does the soul weigh 21 grams?

This myth, reinforced by a 2003 fictional movie by the otherwise rather cryptic title “21 grams” is occasionally thrown to non-supernaturalists as one more “proof” that we are fools, by our own standards of reason and evidence.

It turns out that the only source for the 21 gram figure is a discredited study carried out in 1907 by a Haverhill, Massachusetts, doctor by the name of Duncan MacDougall.
http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2007/03/does-soul-weigh-21-grams.html

Answer 8

Work out the next day compared to evening

Answer 9

30 pounds.
Ask Biggie who gave the answer, and I quote, ...ahem. "Ya gain thirty pounds when you die...lazy I(eye)...I was high when they hit me...3tc etc ect <==😜..3xscuse me, my iphone got dyslexic for a moment😅
Now you know

Answer 10

when going out to restaurants test to secure a more healthy alternative