Jakarta, ThedailyID — A 31-year-old woman in China’s Henan province developed difficulty walking and memory problems after following a water-only diet for 15 consecutive days.
The 160-centimeter-tall woman lost 20 kilograms, dropping from 70 kilograms to 50 kilograms. However, doctors linked her condition to a serious brain disorder caused by nutritional deficiencies.
Neurologist Sun Guifang from The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University diagnosed the woman with Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a serious neurological condition associated with deficiencies in essential nutrients, including vitamin B1.
According to South China Morning Post, the condition can cause confusion, balance problems, abnormal eye movements and memory impairment. Sun said the woman’s walking pattern resembled that of a penguin and warned that some symptoms could persist long term.
The woman told doctors that she had been practicing bigu, a Taoist fasting practice traditionally associated with avoiding grains and seeking spiritual enlightenment. The practice has gained renewed popularity on Chinese social media, where some users promote extreme fasting as a way to lose weight.
A hashtag related to bigu has reportedly generated hundreds of millions of views and millions of discussions online. Some users have claimed to lose more than 10 kilograms after consuming only water and vitamin supplements.
However, similar cases have raised serious health concerns. In 2020, a 26-year-old Chinese man reportedly died after consuming only water for 52 days. In 2025, another woman who lost 5 kilograms in one week through water fasting reportedly developed severe intestinal damage, bloodstream infection and hypokalemia.
Health experts recommend balanced eating rather than extreme fasting for weight management. The case highlights the potential dangers of treating rapid weight loss trends promoted on social media as safe dietary practices.
