In one case, a woman's stomach stones, which were causing nausea and vomiting, were dissolved with 'diet cola.'
A case has been reported in the medical journal New England Journal of Medicine in which a woman's
A Fizzy Fix | New England Journal of Medicine
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMimc2502450
Diagnostic dilemma: Huge mass in woman's stomach was likely caused by Ozempic-style drug — and dissolved with diet soda | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/health/diagnostic-dilemma-huge-mass-in-womans-stomach-was-likely-caused-by-ozempic-style-drug-and-dissolved-with-diet-soda
A 63-year-old woman living in Massachusetts, USA, visited the emergency room after experiencing nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite for about a month. She told the doctor that she had a burning pain in her upper abdomen and the right side of her body, which had spread down to her back.
This woman had a history of type 2 diabetes and obesity, and had been taking semaglutide (Ozempic) , a GLP-1 receptor agonist, since the year before her visit. Ozempic is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, and the woman had lost 18 kg since starting the medication, with the weight loss accelerating particularly in the last month.
A medical team performed CT scans of the woman's abdomen and pelvis and found that the bile ducts , which carry bile produced in the liver to the duodenum and gallbladder , were slightly dilated. They also found that the woman's stomach was slightly distended due to 'semi-solid' food.
To investigate further, the medical team performed non-invasive scans to examine the bile ducts, gallbladder, pancreas, and pancreatic duct , as well as using an endoscope to check the esophagus and upper small intestine. As a result, they confirmed the presence of a large mass called a 'gastric bezoar' in the woman's stomach.
A gastrolith is a mass formed from partially digested or undigested material. GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Ozempic, work by delaying the movement of stomach contents into the intestines, thus prolonging the feeling of fullness. It is thought that this causes undigested food to remain in the stomach longer, leading to the formation of gastroliths.
Upon admitting the woman to the hospital, the medical team immediately discontinued the administration of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Subsequently, it was reported that the medical team chose to have the woman drink carbonated beverages to dissolve the gastric bezoars in her body.
The method of 'dissolving gastric stones by drinking carbonated beverages' may seem like a joke at first glance, but evidence based on past case reports and experience actually shows that drinking '3 liters' of cola within 12 hours is effective in dissolving gastric stones. However, the mechanism by which it works—whether it's the acidity of the carbonated beverage that helps dissolve the stones, or the carbonation itself—is not well understood.
Because the woman had a history of type 2 diabetes, she was prescribed sugar-free diet cola. She also apparently didn't like carbonated drinks, so her intake was limited to 1.5 liters instead of 3 liters.
Two days after starting treatment involving drinking diet cola, the woman experienced a 'tight pulling sensation' in her abdomen, and subsequently, her nausea and abdominal discomfort lessened. Endoscopic examinations reported that the gastric bead had disappeared.
The woman switched to a normal diet while hospitalized, and by the time she was discharged, she was free from symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. She did not resume taking Ozempic, and after being discharged, her appetite increased and she gained a little weight, but her symptoms did not recur even after several months.
The most common type of gastrolith is made of dietary fiber, and consuming large amounts of foods such as persimmons, pineapples, raisins, and celery, which contain large amounts of indigestible components like cellulose , lignin , and tannins , increases the risk of gastrolith formation. Additionally, anatomical changes due to bariatric surgery or other stomach-related surgeries, autonomic nervous system disorders, and the use of medications that delay gastric emptying, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, may also increase the risk of gastrolith formation.
In their case report, the medical team stated, 'Gastroliths formed from food residue may be manageable as an initial treatment for clinically stable patients by orally administering cola. This procedure is generally cost-effective and carries a lower risk of complications than invasive procedures.'
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in Free Member, Science, Food, Posted by log1h_ik