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B12
| THE STRAITS TIMES | TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017 |
OUT OF CONTROL BINGE-EATING DISORDER B9
842
Number of adverse-event reports
associated with the consumption
of alternative health products
received by the Health Sciences
Authority from 2009 to 2014.
76
Number of cases associated
with liver injury for consuming
these products.
5
Number of people who died.
Instant ‘magic cures’ that can kill
Some of them are adulterated
with illegal ingredients
“We found out Snake Powder Capsules are banned here, so I stopped
taking them. But a few days later, I
also developed high fever.”
RISK OF LIVER DAMAGE
Joyce Teo
Last year, retiree Puah Kim An
bought a few bottles of Snake
Powder Capsules, thinking that the
drug could be the magic cure for his
itchy skin problem as well as
protect him from cancer.
“My wife heard about it from our
neighbour’s brother. He had taken
five bottles of it and claimed that it’s
so good, it can cleanse the blood,”
the 58-year-old said in Mandarin.
“He helped us buy it in Johor Baru.”
Mr Puah’s wife and daughter,
both of whom did not wish to be
named, also took some capsules.
Snake Powder Capsules purportedly contain natural ingredients, including a protein found in
the venom of some snakes. The
product is touted to treat illnesses
such as pneumonia, hepatitis, skin
problems, shingles, kidney disease,
joint pain and rheumatism.
However, Mr Puah said the product did not relieve his itch.
Instead, a few weeks after taking it,
he was hospitalised with a druginduced liver injury.
His daughter, who was taking
slimming pills together with the
capsules, also ended up with druginduced liver injury. His wife did not
suffer serious harm as she had not
taken as many capsules as him.
“One day, my daughter had a
fever and kept vomiting. She had to
be hospitalised,” said Mr Puah.
Illegal
health
products
Many people turn to off-the-shelf
capsules and remedies to combat
chronic ailments and other bodily
discomforts.
But not all these health products
are legal here. Some contain undisclosed ingredients like Western
medicine. These are referred to as
adulterated products.
Some of these may be marketed
as traditional Chinese medicine
(TCM) products. However, TCM
physician Lim Lay Beng, who runs a
clinic at The Adelphi, said: “Any
Every year, more than 100 people
report sick after taking alternative
health products, according to a Singapore study published last year.
It said that from 2009 to 2014, the
Health Sciences Authority (HSA)
received 842 adverse-event reports
– or an average of 140 cases a year –
associated with the consumption of
such products.
A total of 76 cases were associated with liver injury. Out of these
cases, five people died.
Slightly over 60 per cent of the
cases involved traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM) products. Health
supplements accounted for 28 per
cent of the cases, while other traditional medicines like Malay jamu
and ayurveda products accounted
for the remaining 11 per cent.
“There are probably many more
milder cases seen by doctors which
did not warrant reporting,” said Dr
Loo Wai Mun, an associate
consultant at the division of
gastroenterology and hepatology at
National University Hospital.
An HSA spokesman said the
authority issued alerts last year for
more than 10 harmful health products bought online or overseas.
He said: “Many of these products
are touted as quick-fix solutions to
enhance sexual performance,
relieve pain or to treat weight loss
and other chronic conditions.
“They are sold by street peddlers
and online through blogs, forums
and auction sites.”
Dr Loo, who had attended to Mr
Puah, said that if he had continued
taking the capsules, he could have
developed jaundice. Symptoms
include the yellowing of the eyes
and skin, and tea-coloured urine. In
the worst-case scenario, he could
QUICK-FIX SOLUTIONS
Many of these products
are touted as quick-fix
solutions to enhance
sexual performance,
relieve pain or to treat
weight loss and other
chronic conditions.
’’
AN HSA SPOKESMAN, on alternative
health products.
also have suffered liver failure.
By the time patients who develop
drug-induced liver injury seek help,
they would have developed jaundice, abdominal discomfort or
symptoms like fever or loss of
appetite, she said.
In some cases, the liver injury is
detected via a blood test as there
may be no symptoms, she added.
Fortunately, Mr Puah and his
daughter sought help early and
have since recovered.
STEROIDS A DANGER INGREDIENT
In 2005, the HSA warned against
taking Snake Powder Capsules as
they have undeclared ingredients,
including a potent steroid called
dexamethasone. This can damage
the liver by triggering viral hepatitis in a hepatitis B carrier or by causing fatty liver disease, said Dr Loo.
Snake Powder Capsules also
contain antibiotics chloramphenicol and tetracycline; non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs such as
ibuprofen; and chlorpheniramine,
which is an antihistamine, she said.
Each of these Western drugs has
different treatment indications,
she said, and can be harmful when
taken together in high doses.
Snake Powder Capsules also
supposedly contain snake venom
protein, which may harm the liver.
These ingredients may interact
with the patient’s existing medications and result in liver toxicity.
The likelihood of side effects is
increased as such products often
contain multiple ingredients, said
Dr Loo.
Steroids are also commonly
found in adulterated products.
In October last year, the HSA
warned against the consumption of
LifeSparks 100% Natural Pain
Relief Supplement as it contains
dexamethasone.
This steroid was also found in Bee
Brand Qi Li Xiang, which an
unsuspecting user took to treat his
body aches. When he stopped
taking the product, he ended up
with low blood pressure and low
levels of cortisol, a key hormone
that regulates metabolism.
Dr Loo said that taking products
adulterated with steroids can lead
to Cushing’s syndrome, where one
may develop high blood pressure,
diabetes, muscle weakness and
osteoporosis, as well as the risk of
infections and easy bruising.
MYTH OF WEIGHT-LOSS PRODUCTS
Consumers should also be wary of
products touting instant weight
loss, which often claim to contain
only natural ingredients such as
fruit and herbal extracts.
But the truth is, they are tainted
with banned or prohibited medications and substances.
The most common undeclared
substance in weight-loss products
is sibutramine, which was banned
in many countries in 2010 due to
serious safety concerns.
Dr Tham Kwang Wei, a senior
consultant at the department of
endocrinology and director of the
Life Centre at Singapore General
Hospital, said the banned ingredient suppresses one’s appetite.
“The undeclared medication is
often present in very high amounts,
which can produce dramatic
weight-loss effects,” she said.
“But it can also cause serious
adverse effects and toxicity.” Such
effects include a quickened heart
rate, irregular heart rhythms, higher blood pressure, stroke and heart
attack. One may also have mood
swings, hallucinations and fits. And
some people may even die from it.
Another prohibited ingredient in
some adulterated weight-loss
products is phenolphthalein, an
obsolete compound that was used
as a laxative in the past.
Dr Tham said: “Phenolphthalein
can be associated with abdominal
cramps and kidney disease. It has
been reported to be associated with
cancer in animal studies.”
Even herbal medication can
cause harm if used wrongly.
Ms Lim Lay Beng, a TCM practitioner at YS Healthcare TCM Clinic,
said: “Prescriptions are usually
made up of various types of herbs
that not only boost the efficacy of
the treatment, but also minimise
the side effects of certain herbs.”
She warned against self-medication with herbs and advised people
to avoid buying any drugs or TCM
medication online or from
unauthorised dealers overseas.
Those keen on taking TCM supplements should inform their doctor
about it, as these products may
interact negatively with Western
medication, said Dr Loo.
Dr Tham advised consumers to
be wary of products that promise
dramatic weight loss in a short
time. Examples include losing
more than 10kg in 21 days or “guaranteed results” from taking the pill
alone, without having to change
their diet or do any exercises.
There is little scientific evidence
that dietary supplements are effective in weight loss, she added.
[email protected]
TCM product that contains Western medicine is not considered a
TCM product. It is considered an
illegal product in Singapore.”
Health products that are not
approved for sale here, as well as
fake products that are passed off as
registered ones, are the other types
of illegal health products.
Last year, the Health Sciences
Authority (HSA) alerted the public
to more than 10 of these products.
Here are some of them:
phenolphthalein, which can cause
abdominal cramps, breathing difficulties and kidney disorders.
order that makes one more prone
to falling sick from infections.
disorders, high blood pressure,
diabetes and stroke.
LONGRED OYSTER-X
MEIZITANG BOTANICAL SLIMMING
100% NATURAL SOFT GEL
HAI LENG HAI BEH HERBAL
ITCH-REMOVING CAPSULE
1-DAY DIET
This has glibenclamide, a prescription-only medication which should
be used only under medical supervision as it can cause blood disorders.
It also contains yohimbine, which
can give rise to insomnia and heart
palpitations.
A woman in her 60s took this for
about three months before seeing a
doctor for sore throat and tiredness. She was diagnosed with agranulocytosis, a serious blood dis-
Touted to help prevent prostate
problems, this product contains a
chemical related to sildenafil, a
prescription-only medicine used to
treat erectile dysfunction.
Using it without proper medical
supervision can cause decreased or
loss of vision and hearing, low
blood pressure and cardiovascular
events such as heart attacks.
The ingredient is risky for people
with heart-related problems.
It contains diclofenac, a potent
painkiller that, when used for a
prolonged period, may cause
serious gastric bleeding, heart
attack and stroke.
ANANDA THUKHA REMEDY
FOR DIABETES
It contains a banned ingredient
called sibutramine. A healthy
woman in her 30s experienced
breathing difficulties, increased
heart rate and excessive sweating
of the palms after taking this product for less than two weeks.
VIP BIO MANGOSTEEN COMPLEX
Apart from high levels of sibutramine, this weight-loss product has
1-Day Diet tablets contain a banned
ingredient called sibutramine.
PHOTO: HSA
HUO XUE QING GAN JIE DU WAN
AND HUANG NIU MU
SHI NI DE JIU XING
Both products contain dexamethasone, a potent steroid that should
be used only under strict medical
supervision. These products claim
to be able to treat several chronic
ailments, such as arthritis, liver
These capsules contain dexamethasone. A woman in her 40s gained
weight rapidly after taking them to
relieve an itchy skin condition.
Her face also became puffy. She
was later diagnosed with Cushing’s
syndrome, which is characterised
by a “moon face” and upper-body
obesity with thin limbs.
TU CHO PAN CHI PIAN
This product, which also contains
dexamethasone, claims to treat
rheumatic joint pain, backache and
numbness of the limbs.
A man in his 70s was hospitalised
for Cushing’s syndrome for over a
week after taking this product for
lower limb weakness.
Joyce Teo