Fereydoon Batmanghelidj
Encyclopedia
Fereydoon Batmanghelidj (1931 – November 15, 2004) was born in Tehran, Iran. He was best known for his book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water, and his writings related to health and wellness. His ideas have not been adopted by the medical community.
would bring them into conflict with later regimes.
He attended the fee-paying Fettes College
in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1946.
After studying in London, Batmanghelidj's medical practice in England
ended when he relocated to Iran to help in the development of hospitals and medical centers.
In 1979, he was sent to the Evin Prison
when the Iranian Revolution
broke out. Charges were leveled against him, and he was scheduled to be executed. His execution was delayed so that he could serve as a resident doctor among the prisoners.
In 1982, he was released from prison, and later escaped from Iran and went to the United States to further his medical research.
He died from complications related to pneumonia on November 15, 2004, in Virginia
, U.S.A.
His own family background was Muslim, but he later married a Roman Catholic woman from Belgium who bore him Camila Batmanghelidjh
. She is well known in the UK for her regular appearances on the BBC
in eccentric and flamboyant outfits. Despite being severely dyslexic and not able to read or write (she works by dictation) with so called "learning difficulties", she runs "Kids Company" and is a social entrepreneur. He also had another daughter, who committed suicide due to the stress of being separated from her father during his imprisonment.
of London University
, where he studied under Sir Alexander Fleming. Many believe he conducted research in the field of gastroenterology
, and subsequent books garnered media coverage in the nineties. A search of scientific literature on Medline is only able to locate two papers ever published by him in scientific journals; a three page editorial and a lecture, neither of them can be considered research.
Batmanghelidj claims that he discovered the medicinal value of water during his detention in Evin Prison
by treating inmates with water when medication was not available. His methods and ideas ascribing common disease symptoms to dehydration have not been adopted by the medical community. The report of his findings was published as an editorial in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, June 1983. The New York Times Science Watch reported this on June 21, 1983.
He authored Your Body's Many Cries for Water
in 1992. In this book, Batmanghelidj asserts that chronic dehydration
is the root cause of all physical diseases and explains the damaging effects of dehydration. He discusses the role of water in the body and his belief that water can transform the health needs of society. His writings related to the treatment of diseases and conditions with water have been considered controversial.
Batmanghelidji believes that a dry mouth is not the first symptom of thirst but one of the last. In fact, as people age, their ability to recognize thirst decreases. This means they drink less and age even faster. Based on his research, he claims that water can protect people from the following conditions:
More controversially, Batmanghelidj claims that dehydration can be a contributing factor to cancer
and auto-immune disorders, including AIDS
.
Batamanghelidj claimed elsewhere that water provides energy for the body and brain, by splitting into its component hydrogen
and oxygen
. There is no corroborating evidence for this claim.
Batmanghelidji's writings have been translated into fifteen languages, and are sold in countries around the world.
on two main grounds, namely a lack of any documented peer-reviewed research and apparently exaggerated claims about the number of patients treated successfully.
Life and family
Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, nicknamed "Dr. Batman", or "Dr. B", was born into a wealthy Persian family in 1931. His family's support of the ShahShah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
would bring them into conflict with later regimes.
He attended the fee-paying Fettes College
Fettes College
Fettes College is an independent school for boarding and day pupils in Edinburgh, Scotland with over two thirds of its pupils in residence on campus...
in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1946.
After studying in London, Batmanghelidj's medical practice in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ended when he relocated to Iran to help in the development of hospitals and medical centers.
In 1979, he was sent to the Evin Prison
Evin Prison
Evin House of Detention is a prison in Iran, located in Evin, northwestern Tehran. It is noted for its political prisoners' wing, where prisoners have been held both before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
when the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
broke out. Charges were leveled against him, and he was scheduled to be executed. His execution was delayed so that he could serve as a resident doctor among the prisoners.
In 1982, he was released from prison, and later escaped from Iran and went to the United States to further his medical research.
He died from complications related to pneumonia on November 15, 2004, in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, U.S.A.
His own family background was Muslim, but he later married a Roman Catholic woman from Belgium who bore him Camila Batmanghelidjh
Camila Batmanghelidjh
Camila Batmanghelidjh is a British businesswoman, charity leader and author of Iranian and Belgian origin. She has been living in England since the age of 11 and founded two charities - the place2b and Kids Company where she and her team care for 14,000 vulnerable children and young people in London...
. She is well known in the UK for her regular appearances on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in eccentric and flamboyant outfits. Despite being severely dyslexic and not able to read or write (she works by dictation) with so called "learning difficulties", she runs "Kids Company" and is a social entrepreneur. He also had another daughter, who committed suicide due to the stress of being separated from her father during his imprisonment.
Medical career
He graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical SchoolSt Mary's Hospital (London)
St Mary's Hospital is a hospital located in Paddington, London, England that was founded in 1845. Since the UK's first academic health science centre was created in 2008, it is operated by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which also operates Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith Hospital,...
of London University
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, where he studied under Sir Alexander Fleming. Many believe he conducted research in the field of gastroenterology
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. The name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gaster , enteron , and logos...
, and subsequent books garnered media coverage in the nineties. A search of scientific literature on Medline is only able to locate two papers ever published by him in scientific journals; a three page editorial and a lecture, neither of them can be considered research.
Batmanghelidj claims that he discovered the medicinal value of water during his detention in Evin Prison
Evin Prison
Evin House of Detention is a prison in Iran, located in Evin, northwestern Tehran. It is noted for its political prisoners' wing, where prisoners have been held both before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
by treating inmates with water when medication was not available. His methods and ideas ascribing common disease symptoms to dehydration have not been adopted by the medical community. The report of his findings was published as an editorial in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, June 1983. The New York Times Science Watch reported this on June 21, 1983.
He authored Your Body's Many Cries for Water
Your Body's Many Cries for Water
Your Body's Many Cries for Water by Fereydoon Batamanghelidj is the result of the author's research of water and the human body's needs for it...
in 1992. In this book, Batmanghelidj asserts that chronic dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
is the root cause of all physical diseases and explains the damaging effects of dehydration. He discusses the role of water in the body and his belief that water can transform the health needs of society. His writings related to the treatment of diseases and conditions with water have been considered controversial.
Batmanghelidji believes that a dry mouth is not the first symptom of thirst but one of the last. In fact, as people age, their ability to recognize thirst decreases. This means they drink less and age even faster. Based on his research, he claims that water can protect people from the following conditions:
- AsthmaAsthmaAsthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
and allergies - ObesityObesityObesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
- High blood cholesterol
- Heart diseaseHeart diseaseHeart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and strokeStrokeA stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage... - Diabetes
- HypertensionHypertensionHypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
- InfectionInfectionAn infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
- DepressionDepression (mood)Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
and Chronic Fatigue SyndromeChronic fatigue syndromeChronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially... - Sleep disorders
- Lack of energy
- AddictionAddictionHistorically, addiction has been defined as physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain.Addiction can also be viewed as a continued involvement with a substance or activity...
- OsteoporosisOsteoporosisOsteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
- LeukemiaLeukemiaLeukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
and LymphomaLymphomaLymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage... - Attention Deficit Disorder
- Hot flushes
- GoutGoutGout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
- Kidney stones
More controversially, Batmanghelidj claims that dehydration can be a contributing factor to cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and auto-immune disorders, including AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Batamanghelidj claimed elsewhere that water provides energy for the body and brain, by splitting into its component hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
and oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
. There is no corroborating evidence for this claim.
Batmanghelidji's writings have been translated into fifteen languages, and are sold in countries around the world.
Criticism
Dr Batmanghelidj's theories have been criticised by Dr Stephen Barrett M.D.Stephen Barrett
Stephen Joel Barrett is a retired American psychiatrist, author, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud , and the webmaster of Quackwatch. He runs a number of websites dealing with quackery and health fraud. He focuses on consumer protection, medical ethics, and scientific...
on two main grounds, namely a lack of any documented peer-reviewed research and apparently exaggerated claims about the number of patients treated successfully.
Books
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Your Body's Many Cries for Water (1992), Global Health Solutions, ISBN 0-9629942-3-5
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, How to Deal with Back Pain & Rheumatoid Joint Pain (1991), Global Health Solutions; ISBN 0-9629942-0-0
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Water: Rx for A Healthier, Pain-free Life (1997), Global Health Solutions; Cas&Bklt edition, ISBN 0-9629942-7-8
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus: Eradicate Asthma - Now!, (2000), Global Health Solutions, ISBN 0-9629942-6-X
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Water For Health, For Healing, For Life (2003), Warner Books, ISBN 0-446-69074-0
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, You're not sick, you're thirsty! (2003), Grand Central Publishing, ISBN 0-446690740
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Water Cures: Drugs Kill: How Water Cured Incurable Diseases, (2003) Global Health Solutions, ISBN 0-9702458-1-5
- Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Obesity Cancer Depression; Their Common Cause & Natural Cure, (2005) Global Health Solutions; ISBN 0-9702458-2-3
External links
- Biography at watercure.com
- Papers by Batmanghelidj
- Fereydoon Batmanghelidj on Quackwatch (critical site)