The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has issued a warning against four health products found to contain potent or banned ingredients, following reports of adverse effects experienced by consumers. The warning, issued on March 25, highlights the risks associated with these products, which include steroids and sibutramine, both of which can lead to serious health complications.
One of the products, 通脉9骨胶柔 (Tong Mai 9 Gu Jiao Rou), was sold by a local peddler at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio. A man in his 50s who took the product daily for two years to manage his eczema required emergency surgery for a perforated gastric ulcer. Additionally, he developed Cushing’s syndrome, skin thinning, and bruising. His doctor suspected that the product was adulterated with harmful ingredients. HSA confirmed that Tong Mai 9 Gu Jiao Rou contained the potent steroid dexamethasone and painkiller piroxicam.
Another product under scrutiny is Ez Empire Be Perfect, which was marketed online as promoting “healthy weight gain” with natural ingredients. A woman who purchased the product on the e-commerce platform Shopee took it daily for about 10 months, leading to an increase in appetite and a weight gain of over 10kg. After stopping the product for three days, she developed facial rashes, fatigue, and other symptoms. Her doctor suspected steroid withdrawal and reported the case to HSA. Analysis revealed that Ez Empire Be Perfect contained dexamethasone and cyproheptadine, an antihistamine that also stimulates appetite.
The HSA is urging consumers who have taken either Tong Mai 9 Gu Jiao Rou or Ez Empire Be Perfect to consult a doctor immediately. The agency also advised against stopping the products suddenly, as this could result in severe withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, confusion, and low blood pressure, particularly if the products were used for an extended period.
In addition to these two products, the HSA has also cautioned against Re5shape hi Morning and Re5shape bye Night. A consumer who used the products as part of a “health sculpting programme” to lose weight reported experiencing chest pains. These products were marketed as containing natural food extracts and vitamins but were found to contain sibutramine (a banned substance) in Re5shape hi Morning and sennosides (a laxative) in Re5shape bye Night. The products were also falsely labeled with ‘GMP’ logos, which misled consumers into believing they were manufactured under high-quality standards. Following the investigation, the HSA collaborated with platform administrators to remove the listings of these products from Carousell and Shopee.
The HSA has warned sellers and suppliers to immediately cease the sale of these products. The authority stated that it would take stern enforcement actions against those found guilty of distributing adulterated health products. Offenders could face up to two years in jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Associate Professor Chan Cheng Leng, Group Director of HSA’s Health Products Regulation Group, emphasized the dangers of illegal and adulterated health products, which often claim to be natural but actually contain harmful synthetic substances. While HSA actively monitors and tests health products on the market, consumers are urged to buy health products only from reputable sources.
For more information on illegal health products, consumers can visit the HSA’s official website, where a database of prohibited items is available.
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