Botulism Toxin—Beauty Elixir or Deadly Poison?

Thankfully, most bacteria that live in the soil are harmless to humans. There is one bacterium lurking in the dirt that produces a toxin—or poison—that can kill you, but at the same time smooth your wrinkles, or alleviate serious medical problems. 

Botulism toxin, produced by the soil bacterium Clostridium botulinum, is a neurotoxin that works by blocking the release of a chemical called acetylcholine at nerve endings. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that tells your muscles to work and is also involved in sweating, breathing, sleeping and waking. The toxin paralyzes muscles in a relaxed state and the tiniest taste of it could kill you.

Not only is botulism toxin is the most potent toxin known to humankind, it is colorless, tasteless and doesn’t smell. The bacteria that make it are notoriously hard to kill, since they form tough spores which are highly resistant to heat, cold and even radiation.

Most often, people get sick from botulism toxin by eating food that has not been preserved or stored correctly. Inadequate heating is often the culprit.  

Acidic home-canned foods, such as tomatoes, and foods like pickles, which are stored in vinegar, are much less risky to eat than preserved green beans or peppers, since Clostridium bacteria grow better in low-acid environments. If the bacteria are growing, they're making toxin.

In fact, making your own seasoned olive oil with garden herbs can be dangerous, since oil provides a nice, neutral place for bacteria to grow.

Infants under the age of one should not be given honey, since their immature immune systems are unable to efficiently kill Clostridium botulinum, whose spores are sometimes found in the sweet liquid. Every year there are 30-100 cases of infant botulism in the U.S.A., mostly in California. Fortunately, death from infant botulism is rare with proper treatment.

An increasing number of people choose to use botulism toxin, commonly known by the trademarked name “Botox” (a purified bacterial Type A Botulinum toxin), in cosmetic procedures. Tiny amounts of the toxin are injected into forehead muscles and other facial muscles to relax them for a period of time. This smoothes wrinkles and can impart a more youthful appearance.

Botox injections have been getting a lot of press as they become more and more common. Some dental offices now offer Botox when you go in to get your teeth cleaned. One recent study suggested that using Botox may reduce people’s ability to empathize with others, since facial mimicry is an important part of empathy and it's hard to mimic someone with paralyzed facial muscles. However, many people swear by Botox. 

There also are a number of clinical uses for Botulism toxin which dramatically improve the quality of life for people with certain medical issues. A number of disorders involving muscle spasms, uncontrollable sweating, vocal chord spasms, crossed and lazy eyes, and even incontinence can be treated with botulism toxin. 

Most dermatologists offer Botox injections in their offices. Here in Edina, Skin Care Doctors, P.A and Skin Rejuvenation Clinic, P.A. are just a few of the clinics who offer the service. 

It is important to choose carefully who administers your botulism toxin injections, since there is a risk of side effects, including droopy forehead and eyelids. Because the toxin becomes inactive after around six months, most side effects will disappear as wrinkles reappear. 

Since botulism toxin is a potential bioweapon, researchers are working on a vaccine against it. If such a vaccine becomes necessary, Botox injections will no longer work on the vaccinated population. Some people's bodies form antibodies to botulism toxin after they’ve been treated over a long period of time, making further injections pointless.

Whether botulism toxin is a beauty elixir or deadly poison is up to you. 

If you're canning your own food, be sure to follow safety guidelines.

To prevent getting botulism from food, follow the 2-40-140 rule, which says to avoid meat, salad dressing (mayo) or salads that have been kept for more than two hours between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This rule will help you avoid other pesky stomach bugs as well, but none quite so nasty as Clostridium botulinum.