Bodily functions

[Ian b]

I would like to know if the human body can function properly without expelling any solid waste products, assuming that nutrition has been taken in. What I'm trying to find out is there any 'pure food' that will not create waste, and does the body create waste from the functions it performs which are not food related, such as blood, for instance.

[cazzz1975]

http://www.smellypoop.com/facts_about_poop.php

[ethandron]

a child of some friends of ours was born with lots of complications, amongs them being born without an anus. the child is hooked up every night to something called tpn which is nutrition that goes straight into a vein/artery i believe. the child had a colostomy almost as soon as he was born and has a colostomy bag to collect any waste produced. in fact there is very, very little waste and what there is, is liquid not solid. he has never taken any nutrition by mouth.

[Lil O'lady]

Why?
You might as well try to live without breathing.
Much of the waste you expel is full of dead blood cells. The human body gets the fuel it needs from the stuff put into it, be it from a burger or a drip. When processes have renewed themselves there is used / toxic matter to get rid of. There might be a lot if you've been at the broccoli or only a little if you've been in a coma and drip fed for months. But it still has to happen.
But why would a sentient adult waste their time with a query such as this?

[Richard1966]

As an IBS sufferer I can sympathize as their are times when i would quite like to not worry about what might happen. As it were. I read sometime ago that astronauts eat a low residue diet from about a week before launch in-order to minimize the inconvenience. This diet is mostly eggs, ham and chicken with a minimal amount of steamed veg.

As a veggie i have occasionally tried a few days of cheese omelets and whilst it does indeed stiffen things up, its really boring.

[Ice.Maiden]

Lil O'Lady's right. Organs are there to take nutrients, or to expel waste, as food passes through the alimentary canal. The waste that's expelled has no further use in the body and if it didn't come out, there'd be a toxic build-up.

[tamborine]

sugar & water can keep you going for quite long without solid waste - extremely slimming!

[joko]

you know...sometimes...people are just curious about random ideas that occur to them.. sometimes they intend to try something unusual - so what?....why all the snooty derision...??
this is answerbank - its purpose is for people to ask and answer ANY question they wish...they do not need a reason nor do they need to explain themselves

[Ian b]

I'm sorry I couldn't get back sooner, but I've been a bit busy. Thank you all for your varied replies. I have looked at poop.com, very interesting. Also, interesting about the colostomy bag. I was, actually, just curious, I fully realise [Lil O'lady] that the body gets food from what is put in. I suppose I should have asked "can the level of waste be controlled". I was, myself, thinking of the astronauts as Richard1966 pointed out. I am also a vegetarian, and am very aware about skins, pips, seeds etc. being just waste but acting as fibre. But do really need fibre? And what ethrandron said is particularly interesting. And thank you joko, you saved me having to say it. Hooray for Answerbank.

[sara3]

cazzz... I found your link very interesting!