
14/08/2025
Ever met that “health-conscious uncle” in your family?
A 60-year-old uncle, worried about his heart, asks ChatGPT for diet tips.
It suggests, “Swap regular salt with potassium salt!” , sounds harmless, right?
He makes the switch… and within days, he starts hearing voices and becomes paranoid.
Doctors diagnose him with “Salt Substitute Syndrome - bromism” a 19th-century disease so rare, most thought it was extinct!
Now the real question… Whose fault is it?
The uncle, for trusting AI without medical supervision?
The AI, for giving a generic tip without knowing his health history?
Or the system, for making health advice so accessible yet so risky?
A 60-year-old man's quest to replace table salt, guided by ChatGPT's suggestion of sodium bromide, led to a severe case of bromism. He experienced hallucinations and paranoia, requiring hospitalization. The case highlights the dangers of relying on AI for health advice without critical evaluation, a...