Young Girl Did Tiktok's "Nutmeg Challenge," But Her Brain and Body Began to Shut Down

Photo bythesun.co

In the era of viral challenges, social media trends can range from the benign to the downright dangerous. One such trend, the "Nutmeg Challenge," led to a near-fatal incident involving a young TikToker in 2020.

This is the cautionary tale of a 14-year-old girl (name undisclosed) who consumed an entire bottle of nutmeg spice in a protein shake, unknowingly setting off a chain reaction inside her body that would leave doctors racing to save her life. This incident was published as a medical case report in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Medical case report of nutmeg poisoning.Photo byAtherton (2020). Arch Dis Child.

The Ill-Advised Challenge

The girl's story began with a TikTok challenge that encouraged users to consume large amounts of nutmeg. Inspired by the viral trend, she blended a full bottle of nutmeg spice into a protein shake, recording her feat to share online.

Almost immediately after drinking the concoction, she noticed something was off. Her mouth became intensely dry, her skin turned flushed, and she felt an overwhelming thirst that led her to drink gallon after gallon of water.

But things soon took a bizarre turn. She began hallucinating—seeing little elves and Smurfs dancing around her feet. Her perception of reality continued to unravel, but it wasn’t just the hallucinations that concerned her.

She couldn’t urinate, no matter how much water she drank, and her heart raced uncontrollably. The mild discomfort she had initially felt spiraled into seizures that left her drifting in and out of consciousness, prompting her mother to call for emergency help.

Nutmeg's Dangerous Chemistry

What had started as a social media stunt had now become a medical emergency. Once at the hospital, doctors were faced with a puzzling array of symptoms: dry mouth, an inability to urinate, a dangerously high heart rate, and severe agitation.

The young girl's flushed appearance and altered mental state suggested something more sinister than dehydration or anxiety. After reviewing her symptoms and the video she had posted online, it became clear that she was suffering from nutmeg poisoning.

Nutmeg contains a potent chemical compound called myristicin, which, when consumed in large quantities, can have psychoactive effects. Myristicin is metabolized in the liver into compounds that resemble amphetamine-like stimulants, which can overstimulate the nervous system.

This explains her hallucinations and agitated state—her body was being flooded with stimulant-like chemicals, triggering an intense and dangerous physiological response.

But myristicin wasn’t the only culprit. Nutmeg also contains elemicin, another compound with mind-altering properties. The combined effects of these chemicals overwhelmed her nervous system, blocking the normal balance between the body's “rest and digest” and “fight or flight” responses.

This imbalance caused the characteristic symptoms of nutmeg toxicity: dry mouth, inability to sweat, rapid heart rate, and hallucinations.

The Silent Killer: Hyponatremia

While the young Tiktoker's symptoms were alarming, the real danger lay in something far less obvious. Having consumed over four gallons of water in just a few hours, she developed hyponatremia, a condition where the sodium levels in the blood become dangerously low.

Sodium plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of fluids between cells and their surrounding environment. When sodium levels drop, water flows into the cells, causing them to swell.

For most organs, this swelling isn’t immediately life-threatening. But the brain, encased in the rigid skull, has little room to expand. As water flowed into her brain cells, her brain began to swell, putting immense pressure on the surrounding structures. This condition, known as cerebral edema, can lead to seizures, loss of consciousness, and, if untreated, death.

The Medical Response

By the time the young girl arrived at the emergency room, the doctors were racing against the clock. Her brain was swelling, and she was seizing repeatedly. The combination of nutmeg toxicity and water intoxication had created a perfect storm inside her body.

To save her, the medical team needed to reduce the swelling in her brain and correct her sodium imbalance—an intricate balance of administering electrolytes while managing her water retention.

Doctors quickly diagnosed her with nutmeg poisoning and acute hyponatremia. They began treatment to slowly raise her sodium levels, carefully managing the risk of further brain damage. With medical intervention, her condition began to stabilize, but it would take time for the effects of the nutmeg to fully leave her system.

The Takeaway: A Cautionary Tale

Nutmeg may be a common household spice, but in large quantities, it can become a potent toxin. The young girl's experience is a stark reminder that natural doesn’t always mean safe.

Myristicin and elemicin, the compounds found in nutmeg, can have severe and unpredictable effects on the brain and body when consumed in excess. Combined with the dangers of water intoxication, the challenge that seemed like a harmless internet joke nearly cost a young girl her life.

In the age of viral challenges, it’s crucial to approach such trends with caution and awareness. What may seem like harmless fun can quickly turn into a dangerous medical emergency. Let this young girl's story be a warning to those tempted by the allure of online fame—some challenges simply aren’t worth the risk.