TikToker learns he has black bones - that's behind it

"My bones are black. The bones in my body are black” – this is how the approximately 46-second clip by the TikTok user “Archiebeshort” begins. This statement may surprise some, because human bones are actually white. This is how it is depicted in every biology textbook in school and even the skeletons in doctor's offices have white bones.

Archie explains the explanation to the more than 880,000 viewers who have seen his clip so far: "And that's because I have something called minocycline black bone disease." He only found out that he was suffering from this rare disease when when he was at the dentist.

When the wisdom teeth finally come through - for most of them this is between the ages of 18 and 24 - it's uncomfortable enough. But for Archie it was a real shock. Because his were black when they broke through. "I thought, oh my god, my teeth are rotting," he recalls. So he went to see his dentist.

However, he made an unusual diagnosis: not only are Archie's wisdom teeth black, his jawbone and probably his entire skull are also black. Caries bacteria could therefore be ruled out.

The reason for this is a rare side effect of the antibiotic minocycline from the tetracycline class. Archie was prescribed it as a teenager when he was suffering from severe acne. The drug helped, but it left traces in the body that only became apparent through his wisdom tooth.

It is rare for patients to react to the antibiotic minocycline with discoloration of the bones. Nevertheless, there are some cases recorded by medical professionals. Unlike inherited alkaptonuria, antibiotic-induced black bone disease is - as far as documented - not painful and has little impact on life.

In the case of the hereditary variant, a genetic defect leads to a change in the phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism and thus to an increased accumulation of the breakdown product homogentisic acid. This in turn turns black when oxidized. Many patients suffer from joint pain. As with the variant caused by the antibiotic, the discoloration of the bones and cartilage cannot be reversed, and there is no known therapy to date. Teeth whitening doesn't always work.

Fortunately, since Archie's remaining teeth were already developed before he took the drug for years, his teeth are white except for the wisdom teeth. Why minocylin turns bones black is still a mystery to researchers.

Experts suspect that minocycline binds and oxidizes calcium and iron - and thus causes a dark discoloration of newly developing bone material. In addition, the breakdown of the drug in the body produces quinine, a substance that the human body cannot metabolize any further and accumulates in the bones. This could also cause discoloration in the bone.

Until the 1970s, it was common to treat even small children with antibiotics. But here, too, the typical discolouration of the teeth was evident. In addition, the dentition of the children was often more prone to fractures.

In Germany, drugs with active ingredients from the tetracycline class may therefore only be used from the age of ten to twelve years. In general, it is recommended not to use tetracycline therapy, for example against acne, in children and adolescents.

This recommendation may come a little too late for Archie - but thanks to his visit to the dentist he doesn't have to worry about his teeth rotting away.

By the way: Bad breath and problems with teeth are among the symptoms that Germans are most embarrassed about in front of their doctor – you can find out here which things still cause shame in practice: