A gastro calls out 2 gut-health trends doing more harm than good among patients
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It's the turmeric or it's the apple cider vinegar—the things that people are taking in super high, potent doses—that are toxic to the lining of the esophagus
—Lenna Martyak, MD
If your patients have been showing up with unexplained reflux, chest pain, or odynophagia, the foods they’re eating might explain more than a few recent clinic visits.
Fermented foods are generally beneficial—but fermented supplements and concentrated shots are a different story—one that can end in real mucosal injury.
“It's the turmeric or it's the apple cider vinegar—the things that people are taking in super high, potent doses—that are toxic to the lining of the esophagus,” says Lenna Martyak, MD, in a TikTok video from the Pacific Heart Institute. A little in your food is perfectly fine, she explains, but high-potency supplements aren’t.
Apple cider vinegar shots
Dr. Martyak notes that a single shot of undiluted apple cider vinegar (ACV)—a staple in wellness TikTok—“has been shown to cause caustic esophageal injury.”
Patients taking daily ACV shots for “heart health" or "gut health," weight loss, glycemic control, or lipid lowering may end up in the ED with chest discomfort that looks concerningly ischemic—but is actually an acid burn.
Related: Is this drink really a magic health elixir?Turmeric supplements
Dr. Martyak also calls out high-potency turmeric supplements, which—while anti-inflammatory in physiologic dietary doses—can cause gastric irritation and reflux in concentrated capsule form and interact negatively with certain medications. []
What can this look like in real life? Patients layering on turmeric supplements for cardiometabolic “support” may end up worsening GI symptoms.
Your takeaway
Dr. Martyak isn’t anti-fermentation—in fact, she notes, “I love fermented foods…they’re good for your microbiome.”
The problem is that patients hear “fermented,” “anti-inflammatory,” and “natural,” and assume more must be better, skipping the foods and jumping straight to concentrated doses. The “wellness shortcut” mentality leads to doses—and acidity levels—that wouldn’t naturally occur in a meal.
When patients present with atypical chest pain, reflux, or odynophagia, it’s now worth asking one more question: “Did you get medical advice from TikTok?"
Related: The best foods for gut health, backed by science