In Kollam, Kerala, several school students were hospitalized on Tuesday after participating in a “Pill Challenge.” The students took multiple iron tablets within a short period to outdo each other resulting in iron overload.
One tablet each was distributed to students in school as part of a government drive to tackle anemia in kids. The drive turned dangerous when some students started collecting tablets from others and started swallowing it to see who can ingest the most.
Reportedly some students even took more than 20 at a go. Soon after ingesting the pills, 6 students began experiencing severe stomach pain, vomiting, and dizziness. They were rushed to a nearby Taluk hospital, where doctors diagnosed them with acute iron toxicity.
The students are now stable, but the incident has triggered public health concern over the rise of dangerous social media challenges involving medications and supplements.
Iron tablets, which are normally prescribed to treat iron-deficiency anemia, are generally considered safe when taken in medically recommended doses.
However, consuming a large number of tablets at once can overwhelm the body’s capacity to process iron, leading to iron poisoning—a potentially life-threatening condition.
Iron plays a vital role in the production of hemoglobin, which allows red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. But when too much iron enters the system, the body’s iron-binding proteins become saturated, leaving free iron ions to circulate in the blood.
These free ions trigger oxidative stress, damaging the liver, heart, and pancreas. Over time, this buildup leads to inflammation, scarring (fibrosis), and organ dysfunction.
A 2024 systematic review published on ResearchGate, titled “Unveiling the Hidden Dangers of Iron Overload,” noted that iron accumulation, even in moderate excess, can cause irreversible tissue damage and may be fatal if left untreated.
Acute iron toxicity presents in several stages:
Early symptoms (within 6 hours):
Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
Diarrhea and dehydration
Metallic taste and dizziness
Severe or delayed symptoms (after 6–24 hours):
Metabolic acidosis (increased blood acidity)
Low blood pressure and shock
Liver failure and jaundice
Seizures or coma in extreme cases
Children and adolescents are especially at risk, as even small overdoses can lead to dangerous spikes in blood iron levels.
Treatment depends on the severity of the overdose. Mild cases may only require observation and supportive care, but more serious cases need gastric lavage or administration of deferoxamine, a chelating agent that binds to excess iron and helps the body remove it through urine.
Doctors also monitor liver and kidney function closely, as these organs are most affected by the toxicity. Timely medical attention is critical—delays can result in long-term organ damage or death.
Health experts say that peer pressure and online validation are major factors driving teenagers to try risky stunts like this. The dopamine-driven reward system of likes, comments, and views can lead adolescents to underestimate medical dangers.
The Kerala incident adds to a growing global pattern of health-related online challenges—ranging from excessive medication use to harmful dietary experiments—often done without awareness of their potential consequences.
Mathrubhumi English. “Students Hospitalized after Pill Challenge in Kollam.” Mathrubhumi English, October 2025. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/students-hospitalized-pill-challenge-kollam-wuftp5nj
Reddy, V., et al. “Unveiling the Hidden Dangers of Iron Overload – A Systematic Review.” ResearchGate, 2024. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387138399_Unveiling_the_Hidden_Dangers_of_Iron_Overload_-_A_Systematic_Review
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