Can we really gain health benefits by drinking borax, something found in laundry detergent? TikTok’s latest trends show people turn to laundry detergent to solve their problems.
Borax as a Quick Health Fix
The dazzling invite to quick health fixes might tempt some individuals, but health personnel are raising the red flag, sounding the alarm against this trend’s major risks to our overall health.
In the modern era of social media, trends come and go faster than the speed of light. The trending TikTok fad of consuming borax cleaning powder is a great example of such a trend.
TikTok’s Borax Trend
With the concept of finding unconventional remedies for health issues in mind, TikTok influencers have been encouraging the internet to consume borax mixed with water.
Claims such as reduced inflammation alleviated joint pain, and detoxification of the body captured the attention of eager viewers who sought answers for their personal issues.
What is Borax Exactly?
However, before one considers diving into this sketchy trend, it’s vital to have a comprehensive background about the reality behind this growing fad.
Sodium tetraborate decahydrate, generally known as Borax, is a cleaning product in the form of a white crystalline powder. A common household cleaner, available to almost every major store across the country.
Over the years, it has been utilized in various applications, including laundry detergent, cleaning agents, and even bug repellent.
A Toxic Risk that Many Are Willing to Take
While borax has established its versatility as a cleaning product, it is important to keep in mind that it is not a product for human consumption. Dr. S. Ruddy Rose, director of VCU Health’s Virginia Poison Center, together with other health professionals, stressed that ingesting borax can result in devastating health complications.
The consequences can be dire and swift if consumed, ranging from convulsions and gastrointestinal complications to thermal burns and kidney issues.
In addition, even the producers of the popular borax product, 20 Mule Team Borax, strongly discourage any form of ingestion, expressing that Borax is not made for personal care or dietary supplementation.
Caution and Consequences
As videos promoting the consumption of Borax continued to circulate on Tiktok, the urgent concern to raise such a matter arose. Health authorities reported that several of the Tiktok content revolving around Borax consumption have been removed from the platform due to their dangerous and unjust dietary advice.
This is an obvious reminder of social media influencers’ accountability when preaching medical advice.
Healthcare professionals like Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor encourage the masses to execute caution and skepticism when considering health advice from non-professionals, stressing that not all social media figures have a genuine intent for their audience’s well-being.
In an article by NBC News, Dr. Johnson-Arbor said that health misinformation on platforms like social media often centers on the same few themes of promising “quick fixes”.
On The Brighter Side
From unclogging drains to serving as a pest deterrent, borax has established its versatility without the health risks that come with consumption. Indeed, there are a lot of practical ways to make use of the power of borax. These safe methods can provide comfort instead of health complications.
For instance, a mixture of borax and boiling water can easily clear stubborn clogs. Additionally, its desiccant properties can get rid of pests, providing a comfortable environment ideal for living.
What Should be Prioritized?
As social media platforms take over the internet, it is important to keep in mind that our health and wellness should never be subjected to experiments that are not backed by scientific literature.
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The end result of ingesting borax can be lethal, and the fast actions taken to remove such videos express the urgency of confronting fake news online. Seeking medical advice from medical professionals and researching through credible sources remains the safest and most reasonable approach to prioritizing our overall health.
Our collective well-being solely lies in our capabilities to differentiate fact from fiction, especially when it is about our health. We are encouraged to make informed choices, prioritize our wellness, and think twice before embracing any trend that promises a “quick fix” without references to scientific research and medical experts to back the claim.
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I'm an Irish tutor and founder of TPR Teaching. I started teaching in 2016 and have since taught in the UK, Spain, and online.
I love learning new things about the English language and how to teach it better. I'm always trying to improve my knowledge, so I can better meet the needs of others!
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