# Stephen King conundrum: Would self-cannibalism save you from starvation? (Gross) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2009, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210 "2009-07-16T12:01:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/1 "2009-07-16T12:01:04Z")
Apologies if this is a bit gross and morbid. Me and my SO need help settling a discussion! The basis for the discussion is the short story _Survivor Type_ by Stephen King, where a man smuggling heroin is stranded on an isolated island. There’s nothing to eat except for a seagull he manages to catch and kill. The man, who is also a doctor, ends up amputating his own limbs and eating them to survive. I can’t remember how the story ends. The question is - hypothetically of course - what would make you survive the longest? Do like the man in the story and start munching on yourself, or just let your body take care of itself? Let’s assume there’s water available, so that it’s a question of starvation and not dehydration. My standpoint was that the body will start metabolizing fat and muscle tissue anyway, so chopping an arm off and eating it wouldn’t be much more efficient. I also thought that the body might need more nutrition than normal to recover from shock or infection, so you’d effectively increase the amount of sustenance you need. My S.O:s standpoint was that the digestive system is so efficient that eating an arm would yield more nutrition, and thus make you survive longer than if you hadn’t. Erm. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/2 "2009-07-16T12:28:13Z")
We did this question a few years ago, based on the same SK story. Of course you’ll die sooner if you start eating yourself. Digestion is about 30% efficient at best, and the mobilization of energy and resources to deal with autoamputation trauma would burn a ton of calories. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/3 "2009-07-16T12:38:11Z")
The question is, how badly does the patient want to live? ladyfingers…they taste like ladyfingers I just finished re-reading that. Fantastic story. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/4 "2009-07-16T15:05:15Z")
Feet-it’s what for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/5 "2009-07-16T15:06:57Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Of course you’ll die sooner if you start eating yourself. Digestion is about 30% efficient at best, and the mobilization of energy and resources to deal with autoamputation trauma would burn a ton of calories. And that’s assuming that you could successfully cauterize an amputated extremity with stuff that you had with you. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/6 "2009-07-16T15:09:45Z")
Would one be more likely to survive drinking his own urine and semen? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/7 "2009-07-16T15:26:09Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Would one be more likely to survive drinking his own urine and semen? We’ve [done that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=385147) too, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/8 "2009-07-16T15:37:39Z")
Nothing to add except that _Survivor Type_ is probably my favorite short story. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/9 "2009-07-16T16:06:01Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > We’ve [done that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=385147) too, unfortunately. Only with urine. What about semen? ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/10 "2009-07-16T17:05:39Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Would one be more likely to survive drinking his own urine and semen? A close analysis of [Cecil’s Column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/46/how-many-calories-are-in-the-average-male-ejaculation) entitled _How many calories are in the average male ejaculation?_ suggests one would require more ejaculations than is feasible to survive on a diet of semen. (80% of the column consists of Cecil defending his honour against an outrageous attack from a woman called Lynne W. from Chicago. That’s worth a look as well.) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/11 "2009-07-16T17:34:25Z")
At the end of _Skeleton Crew_, when King mentions the original publishing credits of the different stories, he says that he originally asked his neighbor, a doctor, if it were possible to eat oneself. (As in, literally). Said doctor told him yes, because basically your body is just stored energy, and then, he gave him the opening sentence, it’s all based on how badly you want to survive. (Imagine being a doctor and living next door to Stephen King. Hmmmmm) ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/12 "2009-07-16T18:36:36Z")
Eating the first leg made sense, though, since he had to amputate it after it became infected. Although I’m not sure how healthy eating infected flesh is. ---
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/13 "2009-07-16T18:40:30Z")
“Boy, trapped in refrigerator, eats own foot!” (fake headline in the Airplane movie) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/14 "2009-07-16T18:50:01Z")
Thanks for all the replies! Seems it stands between **Qadgop** and Stephen King’s neighbour. Does that mean it’s a draw for now? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/15 "2009-07-16T19:22:44Z")
> [@Walpurgis](#): > > Thanks for all the replies! Seems it stands between **Qadgop** and Stephen King’s neighbour. Does that mean it’s a draw for now? I don’t see how it could be a draw. A person who starves slowly ends up as essentially nothing but skin and bones because your body eats itself from the inside. Eating yourself from the outside does not yield much in the way of extra nutrition (in fact, it wastes both nutrition and the energy needed to digest it), and it causes severe injuries that can double or triple your metabolic rate while you heal. Less nutrition + higher metabolism = faster death. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/16 "2009-07-16T19:59:11Z")
It’s Stephen King. A man whose object is to terrify you. Of course he made up the story, to add meat to his own story. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/17 "2009-07-16T20:44:50Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > …to add meat… _snerk_ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/18 "2009-07-16T21:02:33Z")
Self-cannibalism only works if you are a mutant with a healing factor that draws extradimensional mass to replace any tissue lost due to an injury. Found THAT one out the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/19 "2009-07-16T21:59:46Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Only with urine. What about semen? I would think that the…uh ‘vigorous’ activity would probably cause you to lose more water to sweat than you’d get back. Someone willing to test that out is encouraged to keep results to themselves. ---
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/20 "2009-07-16T22:28:54Z")
Its probably worth adding that there’s not going to be a whole lot of ejaculate under normal circumstances, an average 2-3mL but up to a possible 11mL according to the NSFW [Wikipedia link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejaculation) The consistency also doesn’t seem as if it lends itself to drinking easily, but I’ll admit I haven’t really study media portraying the drinking of a glassful. 😉 As for [female ejaculation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_ejaculation) (this one is safe for work), there’s more volume on average and the consistency is pretty watery. Still, there’s probably not enough to make much of a difference and the effort you put into making it seems like a net water loss. Also, in both cases, dehydration would probably cut into the volume and make the remainder less drinkable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210.md?page=2)