Deadly Online Remedy: Salted Lemon Cure Kills Man

A 47-year-old man in Vietnam died after trying a social media-recommended remedy for high blood pressure that involved drinking large amounts of salted lemon water and sunbathing instead of staying on prescribed medication. Doctors said he stopped his blood pressure drugs, drank concentrated salty lemon water for 10 days, and sunbathed in an effort to “detox,” leading to severe dehydration and dangerously high blood pressure. This triggered a hypertensive crisis and a burst blood vessel in his brain, resulting in his death before he could be admitted to the hospital. 

Ignoring repeated pleas from his mother, the man stopped taking his prescribed medication and instead followed a high-dose regimen of salted lemon water and prolonged sunbathing for 10 consecutive days. The method, promoted online as a “detox,” aimed to induce excessive sweating to flush toxins and normalize blood pressure.

Dr. Doan Du Manh explained that hypertension is a chronic disease requiring lifelong medication to maintain stable blood pressure. Abruptly stopping treatment causes rapid blood vessel constriction, known as rebound hypertension. When left uncontrolled, this sudden surge places extreme strain on the heart and brain, often resulting in fatal complications such as myocardial infarction or hemorrhagic stroke.

Despite clear medical warnings, many people continue to trust unverified word-of-mouth remedies circulated on social media—sometimes with deadly consequences.

A 47-year-old Vietnamese man died after following health advice found on social media, abandoning his prescribed blood pressure medication in favor of drinking salted lemon water and sunbathing as part of a so-called “detox.”

On December 10, Dr. Doan Du Manh of the Vietnam Vascular Disease Association said the man was rushed to a hospital near his home but died before he could be admitted. Doctors later confirmed he suffered a paroxysmal hypertensive crisis—a sudden and severe spike in blood pressure—that caused a cerebral blood vessel to rupture.

Family members said the man had lived with hypertension for several years and had been adhering to his doctor’s treatment. However, after joining a social media group, he became convinced that prolonged use of “Western medicine” was harmful and that the body could heal itself through natural methods.

Doctors explained that consuming large amounts of concentrated salted lemon water introduced excessive sodium into the body, causing water retention and forcing the heart to work harder. This significantly increased pressure on blood vessels that were already weakened by chronic hypertension.

Prolonged exposure to intense sunlight further worsened the situation by causing dehydration and elevating heart rate.

“The combination of abruptly stopping medication, excessive salt intake, and dehydration caused the patient’s blood pressure to skyrocket, leading to the rupture of cerebral blood vessels and a tragic death,” Dr. Doan Du Manh said.

Medical experts strongly warn against discontinuing prescribed treatments—even when symptoms seem under control—and caution the public about relying on oral traditions, detox fads, and extreme diets promoted online.

Why It Was Harmful

• Abruptly stopping blood pressure medication triggered rebound hypertension, causing a sudden and dangerous spike in blood pressure.

• Excessive salt intake from concentrated salted lemon water increased sodium levels, leading to fluid retention and forcing the heart to work harder.

• Dehydration from prolonged sun exposure raised heart rate and thickened the blood, further elevating blood pressure.

• Combined effects of medication withdrawal, high sodium, and dehydration overwhelmed the cardiovascular system.

• Weakened cerebral blood vessels ruptured under extreme pressure, resulting in a fatal hemorrhagic stroke.