FDA warns consumers against 28 banned herbal drugs

Dubai: People seeking to lose the weight they gain from the gluttony that usually accompanies the holidays should not turn to herbal weight-loss drugs, which can be dangerous, health officials warn.

The US Food and Drug Administration warned consumers against 28 herbal weight-loss products that contain undeclared medicines. The products are not sold in the UAE but can be purchased on the Internet.

One of the drugs listed, Phyto Shape, was withdrawn from UAE pharmacies last year for containing sibutramine, a controlled substance affecting the brain.

Dr. Mohammad Abu Al Khair, Head of Pharma/Medicine and Medical Products Regulation Section at the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HA-AD), said people should not buy drugs on the internet.

"People should take anything that claims to be 100 per cent natural with a pinch of salt. Fifty per cent of all medicines over the internet typically have undeclared active ingredients," he said.

"People should buy registered products from pharmacies and within the country," he said, adding that they were safer.

Dr. Amita Attlee, assistant professor in clinical nutrition at Sharjah University, told Gulf News people would be better off losing weight the old-fashioned way than using pills.

"It's best to do it the natural way, through diet and activity. People need to create negative energy balance, either by taking in less food or increasing energy expenditure by exercising," she said.

List of dangerous drugs: