P2258 - Miracle Mineral Solution: In No Way a "Miracle"

Meet Parikh, DO, Rachel Redfield, MD, Congli Wang, MD, Tara Lautenslager, MD
Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ

Introduction: Caustic ingestion can lead to various degrees of gastrointestinal injury. Mineral Miracle Solution (MMS) is a substance that contains 28% sodium chlorite and is considered a powerful bleaching agent. Although gastrointestinal side effects have been linked to its intake, we report the first case of clinically significant acute proctocolitis with histologic correlate secondary to ingestion of this substance.

Case Description/Methods: 47 year old female presented with left lower quadrant abdominal pain and diarrhea. Symptoms began 3 days prior to presentation and had become progressively worse. She reported 5-6 watery non-bloody bowel movements per day. She denied fever, weight loss, recent antibiotic exposure, or travel. Additionally, the patient admitted to consuming MMS once weekly for the past three months to help alleviate her chronic back pain. Her last consumption was one week prior to admission. Infectious stool studies were negative. Labs were notable for mild leukocytosis but otherwise unremarkable. CT abdomen showed mild pancolitis. A colonoscopy revealed moderate mucosal inflammation throughout the colon and rectum with a normal terminal ileum. Histology was notable for diffuse moderate proctocolitis with acute cryptitis and crypt abscesses (Figure 1). There were no features of chronicity on histology. No viral inclusions, parasites, or other microorganisms were identified. The patient was instructed to avoid consumption of MMS. Upon follow-up one month after discharge, she had no gastrointestinal symptoms.

Discussion: Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) has been deemed to be a health supplement by numerous advocates of the product who cite anecdotal evidence as support of its efficacy in the treatment of various ailments such as inflammatory bowel disease, hepatitis, HIV, and arthritis. While trivial doses of the solution have been used to disinfect drinking water, exposure to larger doses can be dangerous. The FDA has warned consumers to avoid consumption of this product due to its deleterious effects. MMS has been associated with gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in addition to other pathologic sequelae like kidney failure and hemolysis. Our patient demonstrated endoscopic and histologic evidence of significant gastrointestinal mucosal injury related to intake of this toxin, which is a novel finding. While additional research is needed, clinicians need to be aware of this potential extreme side effect.



Disclosures:


Meet Parikh, DO, Rachel Redfield, MD, Congli Wang, MD, Tara Lautenslager, MD. P2258 - Miracle Mineral Solution: In No Way a "Miracle", ACG 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Las Vegas, Nevada: American College of Gastroenterology.