Teen loses part of his bowel after swallowing dozens of high-powered magnets

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - A shocking case study in the New Zealand Medical Journal details the life-threatening danger of high-powered magnets after a 13-year-old boy was hospitalized for swallowing nearly a hundred of them. The boy ultimately lost part of his bowel due to the incident.

The New Zealand teenager, whose identity was not disclosed, ingested an estimated 80 to 100 neodymium magnets, each measuring just five millimeters by two millimeters. These high-powered magnets, often marketed as desk toys for adults, pose a grave threat if swallowed.

The strong magnetic pull of the ingested magnets caused severe internal complications. After enduring four days of abdominal pain before seeking help, scans revealed the magnets had clustered into four chains, forcibly pulling together different sections of his bowel and large intestine.

This magnetic compression led to pressure necrosis, tissue death from prolonged pressure—in parts of his digestive tract. Such pressure can cause perforation or life-threatening infections.

During exploratory surgery, doctors successfully removed the magnet chains. However, the damage was so severe that the boy required the removal of part of his bowel. He spent eight days recovering in the hospital before being discharged.

The report noted that despite countries like New Zealand and Australia having permanently banned the sale of high-powered magnets, enforcement remains a significant challenge. These magnets are still widely and cheaply available online, often without any required age verification.

The boy told doctors he had purchased the magnets from the online retailer Temu. The company responded that while they could not independently verify the claim, the magnets currently available on their platform are compliant with New Zealand regulations. They added, "While these products are lawful to sell, they can be dangerous if swallowed and we support efforts to raise public awareness about magnet safety."

In the United States, the Consumer Product Safety Commission introduced a mandatory safety standard in 2022 to limit the power of loose magnets in products designed for entertainment and stress relief, reflecting the continued classification of these objects as a safety risk.