Ketosis May Cause Spontaneous Combustion!

[StephenM]

Fortunately cases of human spontaneous combustion are extremely rare with less than one case reported per annum. For many years it was thought to be linked to chronic alcoholism. More recent research has suggested this is unlikely as the concentrations would not really support combustion. It is now thought that the accelerant is acetone ? more commonly known as nail varnish remover. When concentrations build up in the human body this is known as ketosis. The most common causes of this are poorly controlled diabetes and/or following the Atkins diet. This is all the more reason for controlling your diabetes as spontaneous combustion seems a most unpleasant way of dying. If you are stupid enough to still smoke it may be worth resisting that cigarette if you are showing ketones!

Information is relatively rare and in many cases total rubbish. However a good article is published here:- http://www.labnews.co.uk/features/solving-the-mystery-of-human-spontaneous-combustion/

 

[HelenM]

Interesting, I followed it up and found that he has since done some experimentation and written a longer article.
link to it here
(but don't look if you are squeamish)
http://www.mcri.org/home/section/71-72-776/the-microscope---volume-60,-second-quarter-2012

Thankfully, it is very, very rare, whatever the cause.

 

[Caroline]

There has been much speculation over the years about the causes of spontaneous human combustion. For some tine it is thought that some cases were caused by people smoking in bed and falling asleep. I can't argue with any of the conclusions, I don't know enough.

 

[DeusXM]

This sounds utter nonsense.

The quantity of acetone required to spontaneously ignite would be far in excess of what would be safe for the human body to function. Simply put, you'll die of something else long before acetone would cause you to combust. This is the equivalent of saying you'll burst into flames if you drink a couple of whiskeys.

 

[Copepod]

There may be cases when liquid spilled in bed or chair eg alcohol (for drinking) or ketone in urine (released by "bed wetting") might play a part.

However, smoking when drunk, smoking in bed or inflammable chair etc is even more dangeroud than smoking when sober, standing up, with a safe ashtray to heand etc.