mybio
First Tide pods, now Borax powder… TikTok is known for its love of laundry products, with a viral trend of people eating them. But what is the latest borax trend? And is it dangerous?
In 2018, many people online shocked viewers when they started eating Tide Pods as part of a challenge, leading to several deaths.
Just when people got over the Tide Pod eating frenzy, a new trend emerged to replace it. But instead of eating Tide pods, people switched to using Borax – a detergent and pesticide.
Some TikTok videos show people “jumping on the borax train” by adding the white powder to smoothies or coffee as a way to ease symptoms of arthritis, lupus or other health problems.
People are extolling the so-called health benefits of eating or drinking borax on TikTok, swearing that a few scoops changed their entire health journey. But how did people come up with the idea of eating Borax? And what exactly is it?
What is Borax?
Borax is a natural compound, commonly known as sodium borate, that contains the elements boron, sodium, oxygen and hydrogen.
For many years, people have used borax as a laundry additive, pesticide, household cleaner, herbicide, and drain cleaner. According to WebMD, it can also be found in some paints, acne products, and special oral care products.
Why do people eat Borax?
It is unclear how “borax ship” became trending online, but several sources cite the work of researcher Rex Newnham, who published work in the 1990s supporting that boron (not borax) is an essential mineral that is missing in many diets.
Since one of the main ingredients of Borax is boron, people seem to have jumped on the idea of starting to eat Borax to get more boron into their diet.
A video featuring @chem.thug, a chemist working on his doctoral thesis. in organic chemistry, went viral with more than 1.8 million viewers listening to him explain why eating Borax is a very bad idea.
“Everyone, don’t eat that shit in the damn laundry box,” he begged. “This is clearly dangerous.”
“Borax is really bad for you. According to the literature, it can cause kidney failure. It may cause reproductive harm. It can also cause developmental problems,” he added.
In response to the new trend, TikTok banned several accounts in which people mentioned “hopping on the Borax train.”
Is Borax safe to eat?
Borax is known to be dangerous when swallowed. According to the National Institutes of Health, it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin flushing, rash, irritability, seizures, depression and vascular collapse.
“Boron toxicity can also cause headaches, hypothermia, restlessness, fatigue, kidney damage, dermatitis, hair loss, loss of appetite and indigestion. In infants, high boron intake can cause anemia, seizures, erythema, and thinning hair,” the NIH added.
“Extremely high doses of boron can be fatal; for example, 15,000 to 20,000 mg can be fatal in adults.”
Categories: Entertainment
Source: Tekmonk Bio
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings