Saudi Gazette In the United States, consumers spend $30 billion each year on weight loss products and the majority of them are fake. The obsession with weight loss and the search for the magical potion to lose weight quickly and permanently with minimal effort is also common in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, those who sell weight loss products only want to earn profit and make false claims to attract customers and most of the products pose serious health risks. Herbal and spice shops known as ‘Attareen' are widespread in Saudi Arabia and they sell a variety of products ranging from natural herbs and oils to chemical pills. Although many herbs are safe and can be therapeutic, these products are sold without a license and the mixture of different herbs with addition of chemicals may render them hazardous. Dr. Fahd Al-Khedairy, physician and researcher at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh has treated a number of patients who suffer from health complications as a result of taking unknown mixtures of weight loss herbs and pills. “Majority of consumers are women who buy herbal products as a magical potion to make themselves thin and fair-skinned,” said Al-Khedairy. He added that victims of these weight loss traps usually end up with health problems and 75 percent of women who use these unapproved products suffer from failure of kidney, liver or both. “Women are unaware that these products contain toxic chemicals that can damage internal organs. Those who are most vulnerable to these weight loss and beauty scams are women between the ages of 40 and 50.” Herbal weight loss teas, for instance, contain chemicals that may cause severe diarrhea and could lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The weight loss achieved as a result, is not a healthy gradual loss of fat tissue; it is a dangerous loss of essential body fluids. Researchers have studied and uncovered many bogus so-called treatments. Al-Khedairy explained, “Attractive packaging and promises of beauty and weight loss which are available at both pharmacies and herbal shops entice customers to buy these products. After analyzing one skin care product, researchers discovered that it contained cortisone with honey added to it. Another product labeled as weight loss pills was a medication for sugar imbalance with an average manufacturing cost of SR10 per package and it was being sold for SR500. Another ointment that was advertised as a special treatment for a skin disorder and was being sold at high prices turned out to be regular Vaseline when it was tested at the hospital laboratory by researchers.” He added that a large number of women are rushed to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh each year with progressive kidney failure and liver failure as a result of incorrect use of herbal products of unknown origin and expiry dates, unapproved by the Ministry of Health or the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh has taken action to address this problem and take strict action against those who are marketing false products which are harmful to people's health. Strict rules and inspections will be enforced to supervise the sale of herbal products. __
