New Study: Banned Substance Found in Weight Loss Products Sold Online
The health risks posed by weight loss products purchased online have once again come to light. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın, Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology at Yeditepe University Faculty of Pharmacy, together with pharmacy students, conducted a research project titled “The Health Effects of Weight Loss Products Sold Online” with the support of TÜBİTAK.
As part of the study, 11 different weight loss products obtained from online platforms were analyzed in the laboratory. Three of these products were found to contain sibutramine, a substance banned in many countries due to its potential to cause heart disease.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın, who announced the results of the study, explained the motivation behind the research, stating, “We know from both medical publications and news reports that many people have lost their health because of these products. Our main criterion in selecting the products was that they were purchased online, as the greatest potential risk lies in products obtained from the internet. The safety of such products is always questionable.”
‘Supported by TÜBİTAK’
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın stated that they used the High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HP-TLC) method during the analysis process and described the study as follows:
“We specifically checked whether these products contained sibutramine, as it is one of the most commonly found banned substances in weight loss drugs. First, we initiated an analysis process for the products we obtained. Foreign substances were separated using an extraction method, and the samples were then examined in the laboratory with various analytical techniques. In these analyses, we employed the High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HP-TLC) method. As a result, we detected the active substance sibutramine in 3 out of the 11 products analyzed. These products are marketed online as completely herbal or free of additives. However, the analyses revealed that some of them did in fact contain sibutramine.”
‘Sibutramine Banned in Many Countries’
“This substance was widely used in weight loss medications in the past. However, as it was found to cause serious health problems such as heart disease, it was first banned in Europe, followed by the United States and many other countries. Despite this, unregulated or illegal manufacturers continue to secretly add such substances to their products. Moreover, they market these products as completely natural and herbal, without disclosing the presence of banned ingredients.”
‘People Buy These Products Believing They Are Natural’
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın underlined the need for the public to be cautious about weight loss products purchased online and said:
“We were able to detect the banned substance because we analyzed these products in our laboratories. However, consumers do not have such an opportunity. They use these products thinking they are ‘natural,’ but this can lead to serious health problems, even death. This is not a risk worth taking. Therefore, people should obtain such products not from the internet but through official distribution channels. Pharmacies are the most reliable source in this regard.”
‘There Is No Miracle Formula for Weight Loss’
“Our people should know this: no miracle formula can help anyone lose weight in a healthy way within ten days or a month,” said Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aydın, and continued:
“If a product is sold with such promises, it most likely contains harmful and banned substances. Therefore, if someone is struggling with weight loss, they should first visit a healthcare institution and consult a physician. It is the physician and the healthcare team who should decide which medication or method is appropriate. Taking this approach is the safest way to protect one’s health.”