5 facts about Botox you didn’t know

I guess we all are familiar with the word “Botox”. It is often connected with the beauty industry. More than six million people undergo botox treatment every year. As of 2019, the global botulinum toxin market is worth more than $4.83 billion. However, the beauty industry is just a small part of botox and there is obviously much more to Botox than removing wrinkles. Whether you consider Botox as a revolution of the beauty industry or a waste of money, here are six interesting facts you didn’t know about Botox.

Botox comes from a bacteria

Yup, that’s right. Botulism which also known as botox is a protein produced by a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum is naturally found in many places such as soil, water, and even air. These bacteria make spores which means they can survive harsh conditions for centuries. But why do these bacteria produce toxins? Well, just like humans, microorganisms like to compete for territory, microbes like to compete with each other for territory as well. So, they produce toxins to inhibit the growth of other bacteria around them.

It is the most toxic substance known

Botox toxin can cause a serious disease “Botulism” which causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and ultimately death. The disease is caused by neurotoxic proteins so poisonous that one-millionth of a gram of them can kill a man and one pint would be enough to kill everyone on earth. It can spread from food, water, and air, but it is not transmitted from one person to another.

It was almost used as a weapon during world war II.

During world war II, countries like the United States, Russia, and Japan tried weaponizing botulinum. But they gave up because it couldn’t be effectively weaponized as anthrax and smallpox. They possess a risk to national security because they can be easily disseminated and can result in high mortality rates. If the toxin is intentionally released (bioterrorism) into the air it could be absorbed into the skin and lungs and cause the same symptoms as ingested botulism.

It can be present in the canned foods

Home-canned, preserved, or fermented foods can provide the right conditions for the spores of C. botulinum to grow and make botulinum toxin. When people eat these foods, they can become seriously ill, or even die, if they don’t get proper medical treatment quickly. However, that doesn't mean canned foods are bad, but canned foods with botox toxins are bad. So always heat your canned foods before eating. And don’t buy the canned soda or food that looks swollen like it is going to burst any minute.

It can be used for medical purposes

You might be wondering, what the hell? Didn’t you just say Botox is a toxin and can cause deadly disease? Well yes, everything is a poison if overused. Besides the beauty industry, Botox toxin has been used in the treatment of numerous neuromuscular, autonomic, and sensory disorders It has also been proved helpful to treat depressions, migraines, and other chronic pains. How? Simple by blocking the pain receptors.

Bonus fun fact: The term botulism comes from the Latin word "botulus" which means sausage. Botulism was first discovered in the 19th century when a large number of people in Germany got sick eating sausages. So, some bad sausages resulted in the discovery of some toxin that would lead to the revolution in the beauty and medical industries.

That's it for some interesting facts about botulism aka "Botox". Did you learn something new about Botox? Leave a like if you enjoyed it or learned something new! Tips are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading! Have a good day.