WISO warns of slimming and nutritional supplements

WISO warns of life-threatening slimming and nutritional supplements

01/07/2013

The ZDF consumer magazine „WISO“ has detected dangerous, sometimes life-threatening ingredients in slimming products and supplements from the Internet. Some of them are forbidden substances, as the magazine reports on Monday evening.

At least questionable to partially life-threatening
The ZDF consumer magazine „WISO“ was able to prove hazardous ingredients in slimming and nutritional supplements ordered from the internet. In total, twelve different products were examined. The testers found in seven remedies substances in the range between „at least questionable“ over „potentially harmful to health“ up to „life threatening“ are classified. Over the Internet, these ingredients should not be marketed, but only through pharmacies with medical supervision.

Lawsuit and authorities warning
In one case was due to the „WISO“-Investigations filed criminal charges and in another case, the State Center for Health North Rhine-Westphalia (LZG NRW) with headquarters in Münster issued a warning that aroused attention beyond the German state borders. The magazine had the ordered products in the LZG. Have NRW examined.

Not the first warning
During the investigations, a high-dose dinitrophenol (DNP) was discovered in a slimming product, which can be lethal even at low doses. The fat burner arrives as „pure caffeine“ over the borders. The North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Health warned about the substance a few months earlier. „The substance DNP is toxic and is suspected to cause cancer. Particularly dangerous is that the substance accumulates in the body (accumulation) and thus low dosages can cause serious and life-threatening effects, such as hypotension, cardiac arrhythmia, rapid overheating of the body, respiratory distress, multi-organ failure and much more“, wrote the ministry.

Male breast growth and female body hair
For other samples, the no longer authorized substance sibutramine was detected. The substance can cause serious side effects such as high blood pressure or arrhythmia. It was found in the slimming products Ultra Effect and Leisure 18. In two of the studied dietary supplements for athletes (M1D and Dianabol), the scientists found DHEA, a hormone that is considered to be a precursor of testosterone. In men, it leads to breast growth and in women to male body hair. Another remedy was the discovery of rimonabant, a previously approved drug for weight loss. Since it triggers an increased risk of suicide among users, it is now prohibited.

Purely vegetable is perhaps plant traces
Another problem found with the tested products is that the declaration often does not match the ingredients. Dr. Matthias Heuermann from the LZG. NRW: „Frequently, products are sold as purely herbal, to increase performance, potency increase, as a hair restorer, as a means of losing weight. 'Pure plant' in this case means nothing, except that sometimes traces of plants are included. "So put anyone who resorts to such funds from the Internet, from a great risk.

Imprisonment up to five years
Even though German customs ensured 2.5 million tablets in the last year alone, the total amount of illegal means imported into Germany remains unknown. If individuals order such funds on the Internet, they make themselves punishable. In the best case it remains a fine, in the worst case imminent imprisonment of up to five years. The „WISO“-Contribution will be broadcasted on Monday, July 01 at 19:25 on ZDF.

Image: Gisela Peter