The desire for quick, easy weight loss drives many people to products like drugs, teas, or supplements, hoping to shed fat without lifestyle changes or physical exercise. Yet, many of these items pose serious risks, even threatening lives.

At the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), doctors regularly handle emergencies related to weight loss drugs with banned substances. 

N.V.V, 27, from Thanh Hoa was one of them. He was admitted to hospital with kidney failure, altered consciousness, brain damage, and blurred vision.

His relative said V had used a weight loss product bought online. Tests by the National Institute for Food Safety Testing confirmed it contained sibutramine, a banned substance due to its harmful effects.

Last March, a female patient was admitted unconscious, unresponsive to stimuli. Brain scan results showed bilateral thalamic damage due to weight loss supplements containing sibutramine of unknown origin purchased through TikTok.

Nguyen Trung Nguyen, director of the Poison Control Center, said it had foreign-language packaging, no Vietnamese sub-label, and claimed that people could "lose 7kg in 7 days".

Tests confirmed it contained sibutramine, a stimulant that boosts energy but severely harms the cardiovascular system and brain.

Nguyen Hong Vu, former researcher at the City of Hope National Cancer Research Institute (US), said such weight loss products with banned substances have existed for years. Sellers exploit the desire for quick weight loss without diet or physical exercise.

The claims like “lose 1-4kg in 14 days”, “no fatigue” or “no exercise needed” can easily sway consumers. However, products like weight loss teas, powders, or pills are often secretly mixed with dangerous substances like sibutramine and phenolphthalein.

Sibutramine was once used for obesity treatment but was banned in October 2010 due to risks of high blood pressure, increased heart rate, stroke, and cardiovascular issues, especially in those with pre-existing conditions. It may also interact with other drugs, potentially causing death.

Phenolphthalein, used in laxatives, was banned by the US FDA in 1999 for suspected cancer risks. The FDA states that no drugs in the US currently use phenolphthalein as an active ingredient.

A prominent example is “Golean Detox herbal weight loss tea,” found in 2019 as containing sibutramine and phenolphthalein. Such products were heavily promoted on social media, exploiting consumers’ lack of awareness for profit.

Vu emphasized that no scientific studies prove that supplements or weight loss teas can safely reduce weight without diet and exercise. Weight loss is a process requiring time, persistence, and a healthy lifestyle.

Linh Trang