'Sibutramine' detected in weight loss drugs
Stating that they are investigating these products due to disinformation on weight loss products, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın, Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, said, "We know from both medical publications and news that many people have lost their health due to these products. Our criterion when choosing the products we examined was that they were obtained from the internet. Because the biggest potential risk here is in products purchased from the internet. The reliability of these products is always questionable."
"SUPPORTED BY TUBITAK"Prof. Dr. Aydın, who stated that they used the high-performance thin layer chromatography (HP-TLC) method in the analysis process, explained the study as follows: “We looked at whether the products contained sibutramine. Because this substance is one of the most common prohibited ingredients in weight loss drugs. First, we started an analysis process on the products we received. Foreign substances were separated by extraction method, then these samples were examined in the laboratory with various analysis techniques. We used the high-performance thin layer chromatography (HP-TLC) method in these analyses. As a result, we detected the active ingredient sibutramine in 3 of the 11 products we examined. These products are promoted on the internet as completely herbal or additive-free products. However, the analyses revealed that some of these products contained sibutramine.”
Reminding that Sibutramine has also been banned in Türkiye since 2011, Prof. Dr. Aydın provided the following information: “This substance was widely used in weight loss drugs in the past. However, since it was determined that it caused serious health problems such as heart disease, it was first banned in Europe, then in the USA and many other countries. Despite this, under-the-counter or illegal manufacturers secretly add such substances to their products. Moreover, they market it as completely natural and herbal, without stating that it contains any banned substances.”
"CITIZENS BUY PRODUCTS THINKING THEY ARE NATURAL"Emphasizing that citizens should be careful about weight loss products obtained from the internet, Prof. Dr. Aydın said: “We were able to detect the banned substance because we analyzed these products in our laboratories. However, citizens do not have such an opportunity. They use the product thinking it is ‘natural’, but this can lead to serious health problems that can result in death. This is not a risk to be taken. Therefore, people should obtain such products from official distribution channels, not from the internet. Pharmacies are the most reliable addresses in this regard.”
“Our people should know that no miracle formula can make people lose weight healthily in 10 days or a month,” said Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın, and continued his words as follows: “If a product is sold with such promises, it most likely contains substances that are harmful to health and prohibited. Therefore, if a person has a problem with losing weight, they should first go to a health institution and consult a physician. The physician and the health team should decide together which medication or method will be appropriate. Acting in this way will be the most correct approach in terms of protecting health.”
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