Warning over dangers that can lurk in weight-loss supplements
‘Secondary organ damage’
DOZENS of weight loss supplements with potentially dangerous ingredients are being sold online, watchdogs warned yesterday.
The products contain yohimbine and synephrine that are said to have ‘considerable potential to cause harm if used without medical supervision or advice’.
Potential side-effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate while high doses of the drugs could lead to strokes, heart attacks and kidney damage.
Experts at the consumer group Which? bought nine potentially harmful products from eBay, Wish and AliExpress. They were among dozens of listings for supplements with the suspect ingredients.
Some cost as little as £2.39 and others more than £80. The suppliers were based in countries including India, the US, Ukraine and Poland.
Dr James Coulson, a member of the UK Committee on Toxicology, said: ‘The critical effects we are concerned about is their effect on the sympathetic nervous system and particularly their effect on blood pressure. If you’d taken a lot of it you’d then start to see the effects of secondary organ damage.’
Sue Davies of Which? said: ‘It is concerning that our investigation has revealed these slimming supplements containing potentially dangerous ingredients are readily available on online marketplaces.
‘The limited regulation of these sites is not working – and that’s leaving people exposed to substances that can be harmful. Online marketplaces must be given greater legal responsibility for the safety of products sold on their sites.’
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency said the two substances, which are extracted from certain herbs, can be considered medicines and, as a result, it would be illegal to sell them.
The websites removed the products from sale after they were alerted to them by Which?.
An eBay spokesman insisted it took the safety of users ‘extremely seriously’.
Wish said it would work to prevent such products from re-listing. AliExpress said it would penalise the sellers.