A Bowling Green man was simply trying to eat healthier when he ended up with a rare sickness from eating a piece of fruit.

Lavoid Clark ate a few pieces of starfruit that he bought at a local grocery store.

But not long after, he wished he hadn't.

"About an hour later, he started jerking, you know like this. I was like 'honey what's wrong?' he said 'i don't know i can't stop jerking,'" said Mary Clark, Lavoid's wife.

The muscle spasms got so severe, his family took him to The Medical Center Emergency Room.

Doctors were at a loss as to what was causing the problem until Lavoid's wife Mary mentioned he had eaten starfruit.

"Finally, there was one physician's assistant that said 'ya know what, let me just Google this' and so she did," said Clark.

Lavoid had starfruit intoxication, something rarely seen.

"Starfruit intoxication is extremely rare. As a matter of fact, I personally never witnessed it and I would say most physicians haven't either," said Dr. Bart Spurlin, Medical Director at The Medical Center Emergency Department.

Turns out starfruit contains toxins.

"Most healthy individuals, that toxin is eliminated from through our kidneys and we suffer no ill effects whatsoever," said Spurlin.

But that toxin can be lethal to people with kidney problems, like Lavoid Clark, and it causes extreme health complications.

"Paralysis, numb or tingling sensations, nausea, vomiting, and in severe cases, even seizures and death," said Spurlin.

It can also further lower kidney function.

Lavoid's kidneys now only work about 50%.

"Spent three days in the hospital, and he only ate three slices of the fruit. Three slices. I hate to think about what would have happened if he had liked it and ate the whole thing," said Clark.

The Clarks just want warn other kidney problem sufferers of the danger.

Dr. Spurlin says there are probably more cases of starfruit intoxication, but they go unreported because people don't realize that the fruit is causing their sickness.