SCIENTISTS are studying an 82-year-old man who claims he has not had any food or drink for 70 years.

Prahlad Jani’s claims are being put to the test at a hospital in Ahmedabad, where he is being closely monitored and studied by India’s Defence Research Development Organisation, which believes he may have a quality which could help save lives, The Telegraph reports.

He has so far spent six days without food or water under the strict observation of doctors who say his body is yet to show any signs of hunger or dehydration.

Mr Jani is regarded as a "breatharian" who can live a "spiritual life-force" alone. He believes he is sustained by the "elixir" of a goddess.

The research organisation believes Mr Jani could hold the key to helping soldiers or disaster victims survive without food for longer periods in times of crisis.

"If his claims are verified, it will be a breakthrough in medical science," said Dr G Ilavazhagan, director of the Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences.

"We will be able to help save human lives during natural disasters, high altitude, sea journeys and other natural and human extremities. We can educate people about the survival techniques in adverse conditions with little food and water or nothing at all."

However, others have dismissed Mr Jani as a "village fraud".

Leading Australian nutritionist, Dr Joanna McMillan Price, said the study was a dangerous and pointless exercise.

"What’s the point? To show spiritual strength? You would struggle to go for more than a week without water and without food, your body starts to break down muscle, eventually attacking the heart muscles needed to provide energy to the brain until ultimately you have a heart attack and you die," she said.

Dr McMillan Price says Mr Jani's beliefs probably helped him overcome basic survival instincts but would not physically sustain him.

"Your spiritual beliefs can give mental strength but the idea that spirituality can replace food and water is ludicrous," she said.



"He would certainly be fighting strong physiological responses. Your body starts getting pretty strong hunger pangs after a few days because your brain is telling you that you need to eat or you’ll die."

Dr McMillan Price said she couldn't see Mr Jani lasting any more than a few extra days without water and she said his fasting gave the wrong message.

"The determination he’s showing is certainly a nice message but I really think it could be put to better use than to go without food and water," she said.