A doctor warned that taking too much of a common medication could lead to serious complications
11:56, 10 Jun 2025Updated 14:15, 10 Jun 2025
A doctor said he would “never” take too much of one common medication(Image: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images)
A gastroenterologist with a massive following on TikTok has gone viral for his health advice. Dr Saurabh Sethi, who boasts 513,000 followers on the platform (@doctorsethimd), and is a Harvard University graduate, has shared the “one thing” he would “never” do.
Dr Sethi said he would never take too much ibuprofen and listed the reasons why. Text over the clip read: “Doctor’s warning – 1 thing I would never do as a gastroenterologist.”
Ibuprofen, a widely used over-the-counter medication for reducing inflammation, fever, and pain, can have serious side effects if taken excessively or for prolonged periods. The NHS cautions that it may cause stomach or gut ulcers.
Dr Sethi emphasised the risks associated with taking too much ibuprofen, including potential gut damage. He mentioned in the video: “There is one thing I would never do as a gastroenterologist and that is take too much ibuprofen. Seventy five percent of people who take them regularly develop gut inflammation and one in four can develop ulcers.”
He added, based on his professional experience: “I perform endoscopies regularly and see these ulcers first hand. And savers reduce blood flow to the gut, which can harm its lining,” reports the Mirror.
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“I’ve seen young, otherwise healthy people come in with gut damage so severe they ended up in the ER, just because they did not know the risk of these medications.
“If you’re taking these medicines more than a couple times a month, here are three things you can do. First, talk to your doctor about alternatives.
“Second, talk to your doctor about using a stomach protecting medication. And third, take these medicines with food to minimize the risk of damage to the gut lining.”