ANOTHER day, another questionable TikTok trend – this time it involves drinking castor oil to ‘cleanse’ the body and help lose weight.
But an incontinence nurse has warned that buying into the trend can leave you with “explosive diarrhoea”.
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Were you to type ‘castor oil’ into TikTok, you’d find videos touting the benefits of rubbing the stuff onto your stomach or belly button to ease bloating, sleeping with it on your face to wake up with a dewy glow or dousing your lashes in it for growth.
But many of these videos also suggest going a step further by drinking the oil.
Jane Clarke, an incontinence nurse at ConfidenceClub warned that ingesting even small amounts of castor oil can lead to violent diarrhoea.
What is castor oil?
Castor oil is a thick, odorless oil made from the seeds of the castor plant.
According to Jane, its use dates back to ancient Egypt.
“In the past, castor oil was used medicinally as a laxative to cure constipation, and to induce labour in overdue expectant mothers,” she said.
“However, it is no longer recommended for these purposes due to safety concerns.
“The fact is, in 2024 we don’t need to rely on the same laxatives that the ancient Egyptians needed to, medicine has moved on and we now have safer options.”
Should you ever drink castor oil?
Jane was pretty adamant that you shouldn’t be drinking castor oil – and advised you take TikTokers’ claims with a pinch of salt.
“Wellbeing influencers on the platform love to wax-lyrical about castor oil, claiming that ingesting the oil will magically detoxify your body, or help you to lose weight,” she explained.
“Some even make outlandish claims that the oil can cure cancer.”
But, according to the nurse: “None of these things are true.
“Instead these wild claims are a combination of outdated advice, folklore and influencers trying to make money on the platform by selling castor oil based health products or supplements.”
Drinking the oil won’t in fact help you lose weight, she said.
“In reality, consuming castor oil can cause violent diarrhoea – even in small doses,” she stated.
“In large doses it can cause abdominal cramps, potential electrolyte imbalances, potential dehydration from prolonged diarrhoea, and nausea and vomiting.
“For this reason, despite what TikTok influencers would have you believe, it is advisable to avoid ingesting castor oil altogether.”
Can castor oil offer any benefits?
Jane conceded that there’s nothing wrong with using it on the outside of your body.
But you likely won’t see major benefits from it, she added.
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“While the oil is perfectly safe to use externally, it’s unlikely to have any real benefit other than soft skin,” Jane explained.
“There is also no way that putting it in your belly button will cure disease, but it might ruin your clothes.”
The dangers of social ‘health’ trends
AS new ‘health’ trends pop up on social media daily, experts have urged caution with following them.
A survey conducted by MyFitnessPal and Dublin City University suggests the majority of diet and nutrition trends on TikTok aren’t in line with public health and nutrition guidelines.
In fact, it found that only 2.1 per cent of nutrition content on the platform is accurate, according to an AI-based analysis of more than 67,000 videos conducted with Dublin City University that compared TikTok videos against regulated public health and nutrition guidelines.
The remaining 97.9 per cent of content was deemed inaccurate, partially accurate, or uncertain, due to lack of scientific evidence supporting the claim.
The researchers also polled Millennial and Gen-Z TikTok users.
Concerningly, they found that 57 per cent of the 2,000 people surveyed said they’d been influenced by TikTok health and nutrition trends.
Over two thirds said they gave viral trends a go at least once weekly.
Meanwhile, up to 31 per cent reported feeling an adverse effect from a “fad diet” trend.
Experts speaking to The Sun have previously stressed that we should be taking health claims on TikTok with a hefty pinch of salt.
Dr Pamela Mason, a nutritionist and researcher for General Mills, criticised the “Oatzempic” weight loss challenge floating around TikTok as “misleading”.
Meanwhile, aesthetic practitioner and founder of the Skin and Medical Cosmetics clinic, Dr Raquel Amado also urged caution over trying skincare trends picked up on social media.
“When it comes to trends, acting cautiously is crucial as they may not be suitable for everyone and every skin type.”
Dr Idrees Mughal, a GP with a huge social media following, warned that inaccurate health advice circulating on TikTok can be dangerous if users avoid getting professional medical treatment.
“At best the videos can be pointless and money wasting, at worst they can negatively impact someone’s wellbeing,” he told Diabetes.co.uk.
Athena Lamnisos, chief executive officer of the gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal, noted that posts are often trying to sell you something.
“A lot of gynaecological health misinformation being spread on TikTok involves ads to convince young women they need to buy something to fix a problem they don’t have.”