January 16, 2024 – There is not any shortage of the explanation why Health And LifeAdvice out of Tick tock is a nasty idea.
We've scoured the location to bring you an inventory that may either scare or amuse. But more importantly, it’s going to hopefully spark essential health conversations together with your family members and, even higher, prompt a visit to the doctor's office to debate evidence-based alternatives to the crazy and sometimes dangerous world of TikTok health suggestions.
Here are the eight worst TikTok health suggestions of 2023, ranked from least to potentially most dangerous.
8. Navel pulling with castor oil
Did a bottle of castor oil suddenly appear in your child's medicine cabinet or carry-on luggage? Place obviously castor oil in and around your belly button will improve digestion. The “mode of action” is very important because influencers claim that the oil is “pulled” or absorbed into the intestines through the belly button.
Hope or hype? castor oil has been around for a very long time than 6,000 years. In ancient Egypt it was used as fuel for lamps and today as an ingredient in skin and sweetness products and as a laxative. There could also be no harm in rubbing it on and around your belly button, but so far as advantages go, all is evident are away. “The belly button, like any other part of your body, is completely closed or has a barrier protection,” said Dr. Marc Kai, an internist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. “It is not a keyhole or other entrance or access point into your body, any more than your arm, your leg, or the rest of your stomach. The absorption there is very, very low.”
7. “Medical grade” alkaline water.
Water is the brand new…antacid? If you don't feel like walking to the shop, you’ll be able to contact us expensive device offers a do-it-yourself option that “alkalizes” your water—in other words, adding minerals like calcium, potassium, and bicarbonate to neutralize and balance acid levels within the gut and bloodstream.
Hope or hype? Drinking alkaline water isn’t inherently dangerous, but evidence supporting its advantages is essentially lacking. “Although the trend is based on logic, it is an oversimplified logic,” said Dr. Marissa Scavuzzo, a postdoctoral researcher at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. “Your stomach produces acid to effectively digest good things; The amount of water you use will not counteract this constant production.” On the opposite hand, hardly any evidence suggests that alkaline water may improve hydration and anaerobic performance in trained athletes.
6. Raw potato snacks
One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes, raw. According to TikTok influencers, you not have to cook your potatoes because the raw snack appears to enhance digestion and alkalinize stomach acid.
Hope or hype? Like other nightshades, potatoes contain naturally occurring compounds so-called glycoalkaloids. “In general, glycoalkaloids are potentially toxic and will cause more gut problems for people,” said Danielle Omar, a registered dietitian and integrative culinary nutritionist based in Northern Virginia. The same goes for lectins, a naturally occurring protein that’s immune to digestive enzymes. “In excessive amounts, they have been reported to damage the intestinal lining and the cells that line the inside of your intestines,” Scavuzzo said.
5. Earwax removal
Does your teen collect strange-looking hollowed-out candles? Chances are, they've gotten quite a lot of bad advice from a TikTok influencer. This Ear candles Proponents claim that inserting a cloth tube soaked in beeswax into the outer a part of the ear canal, lighting the opposite end and holding it in place for about quarter-hour will “suck out” excess earwax, dirt and bacteria.
Hope or hype? Earwax “reduces the risk of infection and prevents viruses, bacteria, debris and other particles from becoming lodged in the ear canal,” said Kai, the Baltimore internist. And heat from the tip of a candle doesn't create suction, he explained. “In the best case scenario, you can avoid burning your face from the earwax, and in the worst case scenario, you're left with extraneous wax left in the ear,” he said. Further inserting a cotton swab pushes earwax even further into the ear canal, which Kai says could cause “pain, infection, and even physical damage to the eardrum.” For most individuals, good personal hygiene helps keep the realm clean.
4. Eye slime fishing
Eye mucus fishing is the habitual removal of mucus from the eyes with a cotton swab or finger for beauty and aesthetics. Apart from looks, “Mucus fishing syndrome” is an actual condition that most often develops right into a vicious circle.
Hope or hype? This is “a total no-no,” based on Brian Boxer Wachler, MD, an ophthalmologist on the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, California, and writer of . Influenced, a book that examines the influence of social media on perception. “Mucus is produced by the eye to varying degrees and is generally harmless,” he said. “Every time it is irritated, it produces mucus, so using a rough cotton swab can irritate the surface of the eye, and the more often it occurs, the stronger the reaction.” Boxer Wachler also explained that using fingers is just as irritating and likewise increases the danger of transmission of viruses, bacteria and even flu or COVID germs to the attention. Other complications include scratching of the cornea and lack of vision. The best advice is to avoid fishing altogether. However, if the urge increases, artificial tears or saline drops are a more sensible choice.
3. Bed rot
According to TikTokers, bed rot is a type of “gentle” self-care. They imagine that staying in bed for hours, days, or over per week is useful. Bed rotters eat in bed, text in bed, watch videos in bed, sleep, rest and lounge. And the practice is causing psychiatrists great concern.
Hope or hype? “We are definitely seeing a lot of negative impacts – both physical and mental – due to trends like bed rot,” said Dr. Bushra Rizwan, a baby and adolescent psychiatrist on the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Mental health issues include isolation, a continuing lack of motivation and worse depression symptoms, she said. “We also had children who may not have had a psychiatric diagnosis but were dealing with it,” putting them in danger for depression, anxiety and a spotlight deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “We used to say sitting was the new smoking. This is even worse and can lead to a host of long-term chronic health problems,” Rizwan said.
2. BORG (Blackout Rage Gallon) Challenge.
The BORG Challenge was launched on college and university campuses just over a 12 months ago and remains to be making the rounds. This recipe for disaster is easy and the outcomes are disastrous. Take a 1 gallon jug of water, empty out 50 to 75% of it, add a fifth of vodka, some flavorings, electrolytes and even caffeine, shake it up and also you're good to go. TikTokkers will inform you that BORG keeps you hydrated and alert so that you stay sober longer, prevents the spread of disease, and prevents drinking spikes.
Hope or hype? In general, the human body can process one or two drinks, explained Kai. “If you exceed this amount, it doesn't matter how much water, electrolytes and caffeine you drink, the liver can only handle so much and your blood alcohol level will rise,” he said. Side effects range from sedation and drowsiness to fainting, vomiting and choking. It's a lousy, potentially dangerous strategy to devour alcohol.
1. Borax/Baking Soda Libations
A pinch of borax, a pinch of baking soda, and a pinch of salt mixed with water or your favorite beverage is sufficient to cure yeast infections, boost magnesium and energy levels, fight migraines, and support gut health, based on TikTok. Bathing in it (in larger quantities) helps detoxify the body. If this miracle cure sounds too good to be true, that's since it is.
Hope or hype? Borax is a naturally occurring mineral utilized in cleansing products and for pest control. It is usually confused with boron, a trace element which occurs in lots of fruits, tubers and legumes. “Borax is poisonous, even in small quantities it is poison,” said Kai. There is not any research and no physiological evidence that it is useful. And unlike other things we ingest that the body can process or excrete easily, borax could cause quite a lot of problems Side effects including vomiting, fatigue, shock and kidney failure. Additionally, Kai doesn’t recommend bathing in it for any reason as it may well cause skin irritation.