Case shows AI health advice causing bromide poisoning

A 60-year-old man who consulted an artificial intelligence chat system about his diet ended up with bromide poisoning and severe psychiatric symptoms, including paranoia and hallucinations, after three months of replacing table salt with sodium bromide bought online. He required emergency department care, was placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold, and eventually stabilized with electrolyte management and antipsychotic treatment. The incident, documented in a medical case report, highlights both the potential and the hazards of using AI-based health information without professional guidance.

The patient presented to the emergency department convinced that his neighbor was poisoning him. He reported a strict dietary change inspired by information he had read online and via ChatGPT, which led him to swap chloride-containing salt for sodium bromide. Clinicians observed extreme thirst, paranoia, and escalating psychotic symptoms that developed within a day of admission, signaling a rapid shift in mental status. Laboratory tests initially suggested abnormal chloride readings, but further analysis revealed a buildup of bromide in the blood. The resulting condition, bromism, is...