‘I had 6-9 months where I kept getting flu-like symptoms’: Woman says her metal water bottle made her sick

A woman has gone viral after claiming she got flu-like symptoms from a metal water bottle. Karyn Wilson (@karynsmithwilson) says she discovered just how dangerous metal water bottles can be via a process of elimination. Her clip has amassed 916,200 views as of Monday.

"So I kept having an illness over and over," she began. "It was flu-like symptoms. I was achy, I was fatigued, and I had respiratory distress as well. Kept getting put on steroids, which then meant every time I looked at food, I gained about 10 pounds. And this went on and on over and over for about six to nine months."

She then explained how every time she got better, she'd return to the gym, but "within a week," she'd be back in bed with this mysterious illness.

"I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on," she added.

"Finally, I thought long and hard about it. I realized that it was every time I went back to the gym, I was getting sick," she said. "Well, nothing had changed at the gym. There was no new flooring. And I realized the only thing that had changed was I had gotten a new water bottle."

Suspicions confirmed?

"I looked up my water bottle online and saw on one of the sites that it was reported to possibly contain lead and cadmium," she said. "So I stopped using it and got better."

Karyn added that she kept this bottle to see if she could get it tested—but ended up accidentally grabbing it before going on a bike ride.

"The next day, [I] ended up in bed feeling like I was coming down with something, and it dawned on me, it was the damn water bottle, so I never used it again, ended up throwing it out," she said.

But unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the sickness saga. Karyn said she ended up having the "exact same symptoms" two years later when she had bought new pans from Target. Another search on the internet suggested that these pans also contained lead and cadmium and that these substances could latch onto the food if it is slow-cooked.

"So, if you've been feeling flu-like symptoms or something along those lines, [I] highly suggest looking at your water bottle or your pans or something that you've changed in your day-to-day usage," she concluded.

@karynsmithwilson I mentioned approximately 15 years ago a metal water bottle made me quite sick for 6-9 months on & off. You asked me to tell you more about it. I had about 6-9 months that I kept getting flulike symptoms. Achy, fever, severe fatigue and then respiratory symptoms including wheezing and coughing. I kept getting put on steroids which made me gain a ton of weight. Each time I recovered I would start going to the gym again and within a week the illness would return. Finally, I thought long and hard about what had changed in my routine and gym as it seemed I got sick only after going there. They hadn’t gotten new floors or any major renovations. I realized I had a new metal water bottle. I looked it up online and on one site it was said to contain lead and cadmium. I stopped using it. I did keep it in hopes of getting it tested one day. I accidentally used it one day, months later, on a bike ride. The following day I had the same old symptoms. Years later the same exact illness happened after buying an Original Green pan set (“non toxic ceramic pan” ????). I used the pan to simmer something for hours and another time to finish cooking something in the oven. Both times the same symptoms returned. I returned the pans to Target for a full refund. I now use a glass water bottle and only All Clad Stainless Steel pans that are made in the US. #Hashimotos #Hypothyroid #Thyroid #thyroidhealing #HealthAwareness #leadpoisoning #MTHFR #AllClad ♬ original sound - Karyn Smith Wilson

Viewers weigh in

In the comments, users shared similar stories, suggesting that this problem was more widespread.

"My brother gifted me a Stanley Cup two years ago. I’ve been sick ever since," one commenter wrote.

"I have a new metal water bottle, and I've been sick for months," another claimed.

While a third added that they were going to "investigate" their water bottle after claiming they'd been mysteriously sick for five months.

Karyn didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via TikTok comment and Instagram direct message.

Can metal water bottles make you sick?

In a blog post, water bottle company Hydro Cell says that while metal water bottles are mostly safe to use, they must be made of high-quality stainless steel, such as an 18/8 food grade or 304. This is because this type of metal is non-reactive.

So, if a water bottle is not made from this type of metal, there's the possibility of it leaching harmful chemicals into the water.

Furthermore, experts at Cleveland Clinic emphasized the importance of washing your reusable water bottles—including metal ones—if you don't want to get sick.

“Everything that touches our reusable water bottles can transmit bacteria. We put our mouth to the water bottle, we lift the straw, we set it down – so bacteria can be transferred from any contact that's made,” Marianne Sumego, MD, a primary care physician explained.

She added, "Water bottles have nooks, crannies, and removable parts. All those areas can really harbor bacteria and mold if not cleaned properly. That’s why it’s important to remove all the pieces of your water bottle and wash them thoroughly – even using something like a wire brush, if needed, to clean those hard-to-reach places.”

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