• Mind & Body
  • Food
  • Family
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Great Women
  • Videos
  • Events/Win
  • Mind & Body
  • Covid-19 Health Guide
  • Food
    • Food
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Asian Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Eating Out
    • Festive Food
    • Cooking Tips
  • Videos
  • Family
    • Family
    • Parenting
    • Sex & Marriage
    • Travel
  • Home Ideas
    • Home Ideas
    • Decor Tips
    • Organising
    • Appliances
    • Domestic Diva Awards
    • Entertaining
  • Beauty & Health
    • Beauty & Health
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Awards
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
  • Fashion
  • Career
  • Money
  • Real Life
  • Great Women
  • Entertainment
  • EVENTS/WIN
Subscribe Now!
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved

  • Mind & Body
  • Food
  • Family
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Great Women
  • Videos
  • Events/Win

Beauty & Health

What Doctors Want You To Know About Taking Weight Loss Supplements In Singapore

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
Beauty & Health

What Doctors Want You To Know About Taking Weight Loss Supplements In Singapore

October 18, 2019

We speak to a doctor and brand founder to glean useful tips on how to be a savvy consumer when it comes to buying and eating beauty and weight loss supplements

What Doctors Want You To Know About Taking Weight Loss Supplements

Weight loss supplements may seem like miracle pills, but like many other good things in life, they often come with a price. That is why it’s important as a consumer to understand what you’re popping into your mouth for what you’re paying — money aside, it’s the personal health and safety that are most important.

There were several cases this year of women who took weight loss supplements that led to dire health consequences – one of them lost consciousness and had to be resuscitated to save her life, another suffered severe heart failure and has to take long-term medication, and one more developed suicidal thoughts from the heart palpitations and insomnia caused by taking the supplements.

WATCH THIS VIDEO TOO

What Should You Eat For A Healthy Heart?

 

Because of the health implications, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had to issue an alert to urge consumers not to buy or consume these weight-loss supplements (they listed the products specifically by name) because they contained “undeclared potent medicinal ingredients, including a banned substance for weight loss and a potent steroid”.

The news, though not the first of its kind (nor last, we are quite sure), sounds scary. So it begs the question: how do you know if the beauty supplement you are taking, or intending to take, is safe? We checked in with experts, who offered us advice on a few things to look out for and the three things you need to know about beauty supplements:

READ MORE:
Do You Know What Common Food Labels Like “All-Natural” And “Low-Fat” Really Mean?
Hair Awards 2019: Turn To These Pre-Wash Treatments, Hair Masks and Supplements When Your Hair Needs Extra TLC
10 Clever Beauty Hacks To Save Money

Text: Kayce Teo / Photo: Pixabay

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/beauty-and-health/doctors-advice-taking-weight-loss-supplements-singapore/
What Doctors Want You To Know About Taking Weight Loss Supplements In Singapore
1. Beauty supplements are not regulated in Singapore
image

It’s a shocker, we know. But because they are not prescriptive medication, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) does not regulate the sale of health supplements (beauty supplements in under this broad category too). Its website states clearly that “health supplements are not subject to approvals, licensing, and evaluation for effectiveness of the products. The onus is on dealers to be ethical, accurate and honest in claims”.

This means if someone really wants to, they can take a bunch of green tea leaves, repackage it and then sell it to you as a “slimming” or “detox” tea. Sure, this may be an over-simplified example, but the idea is that anyone can market any product as a health supplement, if they are unethical enough to do so.

What you can do

Shinji Yamasaki, CEO of local beauty brand Re:erth, recommends making sure that the supplements you buy are made in reputable countries. “Countries such as Japan, the US, Germany and Australia have strict regulations on the ingredients of supplements. The more stringent the governing body of the country of manufacture, the ‘safer’ the product is, in general,” he explains.

Also, getting your health supplements from credible suppliers or brands are generally safe too, says Dr SK Tan, medical director at IDS Clinic. Be wary if the products claim to have a ‘therapeutic’ effect – such as slimming or weight-control, says Dr Tan, who’s also the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of IDS. “Scrutinise the ingredients list and, if possible, consult a doctor before ingesting these supplements.”

Photo: Unsplash
2. Supplements which are labelled ‘natural’ do not guarantee the product’s safety
image

“There are plenty of natural ingredients, extracts and products that are not safe,” says Shinji, “Using an extreme example, pure heroin is 100 per cent natural – but it is definitely not safe.” Nor legal, if we may add. “And each person’s tolerance to different ingredients also varies, especially if you are nursing or pregnant.”

What you can do

Look through the ingredients list and do your own research on whether they are safe – and in what amounts. For example, if there is vitamin A in the supplement, it should not exceed 1.5mg or 5,000IU per daily dosage, according to the HSA.

Make sure the information you get comes from reputable sources, such as government websites and health advisory institutions. “New effective ingredients may not be used commonly elsewhere, so the information may not be as readily available.

Check the manufacturer’s site or ask if they have documentation from reputable organisations (such as universities, scientific institutions, etc). See if the papers explain exactly how the ingredient works to give the results. Look out for things such as patents for ingredients and the manufacturer of the ingredient – and not just broad claims of what the supplement is touted to do,” advises Shinji. And when in doubt, it’s always advisable to get a doctor’s advice, especially if you are nursing or pregnant.

READ MORE: How Drinking Natural Wines Can Help You Live Longer

Photo: Pixabay
3. Exaggerated claims are often red flags
image

The HSA’s website says that there is no such thing as a 100 per cent safe product or one that claims it has no side effects, even if it’s made with natural ingredients. And exaggerated claims that say you can lose one kg per week (you need to run 74km for that to happen, by the way – that means a 10km jog every single day, OK?) or turn your skin tone five shades lighter (skin tone is determined by genetics and there’s no way of naturally lightening your skin) are, more likely than not, lies.

What you can do

Be a savvy consumer. Beware of words and terms such as “miraculously”, “guaranteed”, “World’s best”, “No. 1” and “quickly and effectively”. These are misleading and most likely do not have substantial scientific data or studies to back up the claims that follow.

Another thing you should note: “Most credible manufacturers will issue warnings on the labels if and when necessary. For example, if an ingredient in the health supplement gives rise to potential dangers when taken with certain prescription drugs, a credible manufacturer will list it on the bottle,” says Dr Tan.

He gives the example of “St John’s Wort”, an over-the-counter ‘mood-enhancer’ or anti-depressant. “This ingredient has interactions with several prescription drugs and may either lower the efficacy or potentiate the action of the drugs, so it should be stated on the bottle as so.”

READ MORE:
Where To Find Real Doctor Advice On Popular Aesthetic Treatments In Singapore
The Worst Skincare Habits Singaporeans Have, According To Dermatologists and Aesthetic Doctors
10 Things You Really Shouldn’t Keep From Your Doctor

Photo: Unsplash
  • TAGS:
  • Beauty
  • beauty supplements
  • body
  • Health
  • pills
  • Skin
SHARE THIS ON

What’s Hot

Beauty & Health

15 Effective Scalp Tonics And Serums To ...

Beauty & Health

How This Customised Herbal Treatment Hel...

Beauty & Health

5 Reasons For Hair Loss And How To Preve...

Beauty & Health

This Shampoo Smoothened Out My Dry & Fri...

Beauty & Health

The Full Winners List Of The Weekly’s ...

Beauty & Health

Get Rid Of Oily Scalp With These 9 Deep-...

Beauty & Health

I Tried Trichokare's Award-Winning Treat...

Beauty & Health

7 Super Seeds To Eat More Of If You Want...

Beauty & Health

How Korean Women Prevent Maskne During C...

Beauty & Health

10 Ways To Stay Slim When Eating This Ch...

Beauty & Health

Here’s Why You Should Add These Produc...

Beauty & Health

Combat Thinning Hair Woes With This Awar...

Editor’s Picks
  • Beauty & Health How This Customised Herbal Treatment Helped To Treat My Oily Scalp
  • Beauty & Health This Shampoo Smoothened Out My Dry & Frizzy Hair Without Weighing It Down
  • Beauty & Health The Full Winners List Of The Weekly’s Best Beauty Buys 2021
  • Skincare Why You Should Consider Swapping Your Cleanser For Bioderma's Micellar Water
  • Beauty & Health What Is It Like Getting The Covid-19 Vaccine? This Healthcare Marketing Perso...
  • Fitness LumiHealth Review: How This Former Couch Potato Got Paid To Stay Fit And Scor...
Don't Miss Out Ever Again!
Tips & tricks to stay sane + win invites to our events!
Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Policy
?>
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved