Harvard doctor Warns โฃof Potential esophageal Risk from Chia Seed Consumption
boston, โคMA – Septemberโฃ 21, 2025, 06:32:58 EDT โ – A Harvard Medical School โคphysician is raising โconcerns about aโข perhapsโ serious, yet โขofen overlooked, health risk associated with consuming chia seeds:โ esophageal obstruction. Dr.โข David S. Seres, Director of โขMedical Nutrition โ& Weight Management atโฃ Beth Israel Deaconess โคMedical Center,โข detailed a โrecent surge in cases requiring endoscopic removal of chia seed obstructions in โคthe American Journalโ of Gastroenterology. โฃ
While widely touted as a superfood rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, โฃchiaโค seeds’ remarkable โคability to absorb liquid can become hazardous if not properly managed. The seeds expand significantly when exposed to fluids, and if consumedโค dry or with insufficient โขliquid intake, they can swell in the esophagus, creating a blockage that can cause discomfort, difficulty swallowing, โand potentially require medical intervention.Theโค number of reportedโค cases has increased in recent years, coinciding with the growingโค popularity of chia seeds as โa dietary supplement and ingredient in various food products.
Dr. Seres’ research highlights that โคindividuals with pre-existing swallowing difficulties (dysphagia),or those who do not โadequatelyโข hydrate while consuming โchia โseeds,are especially vulnerable. He observedโข aโข cluster of cases at his Boston โฃhospital, prompting aโค deeper โฃinvestigationโค into the phenomenon. “The problem isโข that people โare eating these seeds dry, or โฃnot drinking enough water with them,” Dr.Seres explained in a recent interview. โ”They swell up and โget stuck.It’s not a common occurrence, but it’s happening more frequently.”
the cases documented involved patients experiencing symptoms โฃranging from โmild chestโฃ pain โคto completeโค inability to โคswallow. โ Endoscopic procedures were successfully โused to remove the chia seed obstructions in all โคreported instances, โbut dr. Seres cautions โคthat prolonged obstruction could lead โฃto more severe โขcomplications. He recommends consuming chiaโ seeds with at least 16โฃ ounces of โwater and avoiding dry consumption altogether. โข Further research is planned to determine โthe precise incidence rate of chia seed-related esophageal obstructions and to develop preventative guidelines for consumers.