AI ChatGPT Diet Tip Sends Man to Hospital With Rare Case of Bromide Poisoning - Report

People are increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT for everyday decisions, including health and diet choices. Such tools claim to provide personalised advice fast; however, there are cases where using AI to give advice without consulting experts may prove to be a grave issue. An example of this case is a recent occurrence when a man was hospitalised with a rare poisoning after following an AI diet tip. Read ahead to learn more about the case and how it can be a serious problem for anyone. 

AI Diet Advice Goes Wrong: Bromide Poisoning Case

A 60-year-old man in New York referred to ChatGPT to eliminate the use of regular table salt (sodium chloride) in his meals. To that, the AI suggested a replacement known as sodium bromide that the man added to his cooking within a span of three months. In traditional medicine, sodium bromide was also utilised, but it has been realised that sodium bromide is toxic in high doses. In the long run, the man started experiencing serious symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, and unusual skin eruptions.

He was admitted to the hospital with bromide poisoning, a severe, although not common, disorder that damages the nervous system as well as mental health. Doctors attributed his disease directly to taking the word of the AI without a doctor's oversight. With therapy, the man was able to recover albeit slowly, but the use of blind trust in the AI relying on tips on health that demand professional advice is something that the incident warns of strongly.

ALSO READ: 3 Ps That Mrunal Thakur Can’t Resist - Pizza, Pasta and Poha: But Are They Healthy? Expert Shares Insights

Why This Happened and What It Means

ChatGPT could suggest general nutrition ideas, but it is not flawless. Research indicates that AI is unable to come up with balanced diet plans as it sometimes overlooks important details or misinterprets health conditions. The AI did not issue a warning regarding the substances of sodium bromide, and this is one way of showing the consequences of interpreting the AI health advice to the letter, especially when it entails the replacement of necessary nutrients or substances.

Health experts state that AI should supplement, not instead of medical provision by doctors and dietitians. However, individualised care takes into account individual health circumstances, drugs and conditions that the AI does not know well enough.

What You Should Know About Bromide Poisoning

Bromide toxicity or bromism is rare nowadays but carries severe symptoms, namely, hallucinations, mental confusion, paranoia, and skin issues. Bromides are currently used (mostly) in veterinary medicine and some industrial products, and not food or medicine in humans. These are the most serious health concerns that lead to treatment in hospitals and require certain treatment caused by exposure to high levels of bromide for several weeks.

ALSO READ: 10 Everyday Foods That Could Make or Break Your Liver Health, According To a Harvard Doctor

The Takeaway for AI and Diet

ChatGPT and the like are valuable when it comes to broad advice, but can be very bad at offering dangerous advice without human input. Instances such as this one point you in the positive direction of never attempting to change a significant part of your diet or experiment with new supplements without first consulting a medical expert.