Injectable medications have become increasingly popular for weight loss. However, many unregulated supplements and formulas remain widely available online and over the counter, and some may cause serious or even life-threatening side effects.
Illegal manufacturers repeatedly repackage and market dangerous drugs under changing names, often presenting them as “natural.” Some unregulated weight-loss products may contain undeclared substances such as sibutramine or amphetamine-like stimulants. Although their names and packaging change, the dangers remain.
Fifteen-year-old Efrat*, from Northern Israel came across a social media advertisement for an appetite suppressant that promised dramatic weight loss of up to 14 kilograms in just 20 days. After ordering the product and taking a few tablets, she developed heart palpitations, sweating, a rapid heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. She arrived at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) for emergency care.
Heart palpitations, sweating, and symptoms resembling a panic attack.
“A teenage girl was hospitalised in our department recently after taking a weight-loss drug that she had purchased through social media,” explains Professor Ram Weiss, Director of Paediatrics A and an expert in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. “She came to Rambam with heart palpitations, sweating, and symptoms resembling a panic attack.”
The medical team suspected that the pills Efrat had taken contained sibutramine and sent them to the Ministry of Health for examination. Efrat has since been discharged and is doing well.
“Manufacturers continually attempt to market illegal and dangerous drugs that pose a serious threat to the health and lives of those who take them,” warns Professor Weiss. “People must exercise caution and avoid these drugs.”
Rambam urges anyone considering a weight-loss regimen to seek professional medical guidance and never purchase unregulated products advertised on social media or from unreliable sources.
*Name changed to protect the patient’s privacy.
