If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you might have seen a video involving Omega-3 capsules and Styrofoam.
The viral video from creator Masha Klevo has been viewed 13.5 million times, amassing 164.3k likes at the time of writing. In the TikTok, the creator poured the contents of an omega-3 capsule onto styrofoam and left it there, showing its effect on the material in two-minute, five-minute, and thirty-minute intervals.
The liquid bore through the foam, leading some commenters to wonder what it could mean for their health. “What do you mean, is it harmful or beneficial?” asked one TikTok user.
Here’s the TikTok:
One of the people who responded to the video was Dr. Karan Raj, a doctor who’s known for dispelling medical myths on the apps. Here’s what he had to say about the video:
It’s fair to say the doctor did not approve the message
Starting off the video with commentary about the “experiment” (“First he shows us the supplements – in case we didn’t know what they were,” Dr. Raj begins), the doctor went on to call the TikTok “the dumbest video you’ll see today.”
“The omega-3 supplements contain ethyl esters,” Dr. Raj said. The Mayo Clinic says “Omega-3-acid ethyl esters are used together with a proper diet to lower very high triglyceride (fat-like substance) levels in the blood. This medicine may help prevent medical problems caused by clogged blood vessels such as heart attacks and strokes.”
Dr. Raj also notes that the capsule’s components are nonpolar compounds. This means that the substance’s molecules aren’t polarised (i.e., they don’t have the imbalance of negative and positive ions that cause static electricity and other processes to occur). It’s handy for some medicines because it means they don’t dissolve in water.
Other nonpolar compounds include oxygen, carbon dioxide, and yes, styrofoam. This is important because, as Dr. Raj says, “nonpolar compounds will dissolve other nonpolar compounds.”
Dr. Raj goes on to prescribe a solid anti-misinformation online diet, saying that “idiotic videos like this are contagious and will lower your IQ.”
I’ll take those orders, doc. Here’s his full response: