Warning of slimming products

Warning about foreign slimming products.

(27/07/2010) Slimming products are sometimes not only ineffective, but even harmful to health. At present, the Regional Council of Darmstadt warns against taking foreign slimming products. In addition, consumers should be especially cautious about products offered over the Internet.

As the agency said, with prescription drugs from China and Indonesia that can be ordered online on the internet, once again prescription drugs have been proven. The investigators found in the funds the active ingredient "sibutramine". This active substance is harmful to health, especially for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. According to a statement issued today by the regional council: "According to studies, sibutramine has a significantly increased risk of heart attack, especially for cardiovascular patients; a study lists 34 deaths from the drug". In addition, other dangerous substances were found in the products. One of them is the active ingredient "phenolphthalein". This is in urgent suspicion to promote cancer.

In the Internet trade in medicines and slimming products is mainly trying to make quick money at the expense of patients. As the President of the Government Johannes Baron said: "Unscrupulous businessmen endanger the health by putting putatively harmless slimming products with dangerous active substances". It is not obvious to laymen at first glance, whether the online shipping is a foreign or German platform. Only with a look in the imprint becomes clear, from which country the on-line pharmacy comes. If you do not find any imprint as a consumer you should not order anything anyway.

As the authority warns, you should generally order nothing at foreign online parcels, as the drugs could be "low quality or even life threatening". In addition, the "importation of medicines from countries outside the EU is generally prohibited".

Independent of this, individual studies have already stated that such products have no or very little benefit. So-called slimming and nutritional supplements do not have to be tested for their effectiveness in Germany either, since they are not subject to pharmaceutical supervision. In a study of the University of Göttingen numerous Schlankeitsmittel were tested. The result: the slimming agent did not produce results and was similar in effects to placebo. That is, only the purse is narrower, but not the waist. Those who want to lose weight should continue to rely on a healthy diet and exercise. At least the latter is even free. (sb, gr)

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