Expert Says 'Salt Water Flush' TikTok Trend is 'Napalm For Your Bowels'

The latest health trend to take over social media involves chugging salt water to release "toxins," but experts say the fad is dubious at best—and could even be dangerous.

Proponents of the "salt water flush" have flooded social media with stories of debloating and weight loss. Olivia Hedlund, who calls herself a "Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner" (FNTP) on TikTok, posted a tutorial aimed at sending people to the bathroom more often.

"Salt water flush: 32 ounces of lukewarm water, a teaspoon or two of good seasalt," explained Hedlund. "You wake up, you chug it, you lay down for 30 minutes and then you have to go to the bathroom. You feel yourself going to the bathroom, that's how you flush your system."

Actress Amanda Jones documented herself trying the flush in a TikTok video with 2.8 million views.

"It worked—fully, it worked," said Jones.

Another TikToker said she lost four pounds immediately after her salt water-induced bowel movements.

Abbey Sharp, a Registered Dietician who uses her TikTok platform to bust "wellness culture" myths, told Newsweek this kind of cleanse has traditionally been used as an alternative to colonoscopy prep.

"I think that's probably where it originated from—people knew that this will literally 'clear you out,'" said Sharp. "People these days are quite obsessed with the idea of gut health, obsessed with anti-bloating, about losing weight fast ultimately."

But although the flush will send you to the bathroom, Sharp said it's not releasing any toxins. The average person does not need to push out toxins through increased bowel movements, and if someone does have a legitimate blockage, they need support from a medical care provider—not a salt water flush.

"When you add all this salt to your bowels, it draws the water into the bowels, and then you're also drinking a liter of water with it. It's just going to blast everything out the other end. I say it's like napalm for your bowels," said Sharp. "It's not going to feel good."

Although your system will be cleared out, there are many dangers involved, Sharp said. The rapid loss of sodium and fluid can increase your risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. People who have preexisting heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes face even higher risks from the loss of sodium and electrolytes.

The general healthy population can also suffer long-term risks from repeated use of the salt water flush, according to Sharp.

"If we're constantly forcing content out of our bowels rapidly, we're going to change the composition or balance of our gut microbiome," Sharp said. "We're actually putting our gut health in jeopardy because we'd be flushing out a lot of the good bacteria in our gut."

A medically reviewed article in Medical News Today found there is "limited if any scientific evidence" to support the use of saline flushes, as the body is naturally able to cleanse itself. Although researchers said the salt water flush is "relatively safe," they listed common side effects including nausea, vomiting and weakness.

Sharp advised people to think twice before following any health advice on TikTok.

"You really do need to be speaking to a healthcare provider, ideally a dietician who can help support your individual needs," she said.