Current topics in medicine: MMS
TL;DR - MMS is a harmful substance that can cause life-threatening symptoms related to severe dehydration and organ failure. It has seen a resurgence recently and is sold to people for anything from benign daily conditions to permanent, incurable or terminal illnesses. Educate yourself on the dangerous substance and the sales language used by its proponents.
MMS, or Mineral Miracle Solution, is a liquid that is being touted as a cure for many things - from autism to acne to cancers. It is sold with an activator which must be added to the solution before taking it. Patients are instructed to take the substance orally, as an enema, or both. MMS is a ‘cure all’ that cures nothing, but it’s important for healthcare providers to be aware of MMS for several reasons:
- MMS salespeople target vulnerable, potentially desperate populations. For example, in Brazil, MMS salespersons frequent use WhatsApp to target parents of children with autism spectrum disorder claiming MMS with cure their children (article in Portuguese);
- tactics may be used by MMS salespeople that reduce patient’s or patient families’ trust in the medical system;
- people who turn to MMS may cease appropriate medical treatment, allowing for progression of their disease (if applicable);
- MMS contains a bleach and consuming it (or using it as an enema) poses serious health risks. Known side effects include intestinal lesions, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, renal insufficiency, acute liver failure, and more;
- When these symptoms are mentioned to salespersons, they often reply that the side effects are the expelling of toxins within the body, and encourage continued use of MMS despite the side effects. Telling patients this is normal may prevent individuals from seeking healthcare until their symptoms are severe. Side effects of this substance can be life-threatening.
Those who sell MMS will explain that it is not bleach, and that anyone who says it is bleach does not understand what MMS is and therefore is lying. This is a partial truth - MMS is not a bleach until you add the activator, at which point it becomes a chlorine bleach. Note that Clorox is not the only bleach. Some people are told “well this isn’t the same chemical as Clorox, so it’d not bleach” - chemicals that lighten or whiten stains, fabrics, hair, or anything are collectively known as bleaches. Knowing this language is important because it helps you communicate with friends in a way that allows you to explain the truth.
In the USA, news articles on MMS are popular and continue to come out regularly. The FDA issued a warning about MMS earlier this week.
There was an excellent Sawbones episode on MMS earlier this year.
Other terms for MMS: Master Miracle Solution, Miracle Mineral Supplement, Water Purification Solution (WPS), Chlorine Dioxide (CD) Protocol.
