Too often, overweight or obese patients seek solutions to their problem on their own, in a market where there is an abundance of advertising for miracle products, which in many cases, we do not even know what they contain, with the risks that this entails, he denounces. Cristobal Moralesmember of SSpanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO) and obesity specialist in the Endocrinology and Nutrition service of the Vithas Hospital in Seville.
One of the risks associated with this type of product is that when it is marketed as natural, it gives it an appearance of safety that is not really guaranteed. It is thought that because it is natural, it is safe and does not have any unwanted side effects, but nothing could be further from the truth, explains Morales.
This endocrinologist recalls that a good part of patients with obesity also present other types of pathologies for which they may be taking medication and supplements or food products may interact with them or generate unwanted effects.
Along the same lines is pronounced Diego Bellidohead of the Endocrinology and Nutrition section of the Ferrol University Hospital Complex (CHUF), and who exemplifies the case of horsetail, very popular in trying to reduce weight through the elimination of liquid, but whose consumption may not be indicated in the case of patients who are taking a diuretic drug, for example, for the treatment of hypertension.
Hazardous substances
In addition to this false halo of naturalness, the reality is that these products may also contain undeclared substances that put patients’ health at risk. In this regard, recently, the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) recalled five products from the market popular marketed for weight loss and body fat reduction because they contained an active substance, sibutraminewhich was not only not declared on the label but is also prohibited.
Its marketing in the European Union was suspended already in 2010 because its consumption is associated with serious adverse effects of a cardiovascular nature, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, and is related to problems such as arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease and serious vascular accidents. Bellido recalls that the decision to withdraw it was taken based on the Scout study, which also observed, among other conclusions, that the treatment achieved a lower weight loss than expected in the long term.
The problem with sibutramine is that it is a very easy substance to manufacture, explains Bellido, and although it may have a short-term effect, what we are looking for when addressing obesity is proven long-term effectiveness and a benefit that goes beyond weight loss, that is, that impacts general health, explains this specialist.
Endocrinology specialists fear that with the arrival of the New drugs for the treatment of obesitysuch as GLP-1 agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy and Monjauro), fraudulent actions are increasing.
Furthermore, these are very powerful drugs that must be handled by professionals with the appropriate knowledge and training, stresses Cristóbal Morales.
SEEDO specialist warns about the intrusion and the deception that occurs all too frequently in the field of nutrition and dietetics by people without the specific qualifications or training necessary to manage this pathology or with unethical actions, of which the victims are patients who are generally very vulnerable and easily fall into the consumption of miracle products or diets.
We specialists know which drugs have the scientific backing and the necessary trials to guarantee their safety and efficacy, as well as their indications and risks, because treatments for obesity and overweight must be prescribed in a very personalized way, according to the characteristics of each patient, and always within a context that takes into account diet and physical exercise, Bellido emphasizes.
In this sense, Morales emphasizes the need to change the management of obesity, which must be addressed as a chronic and complex disease that requires long-term support and monitoring through multidisciplinary teams. from science, scientific evidence and empathy.
In an attempt to combat intrusion and facilitate information to patients, SEEDO has created a web platform called TEO (acronym for Your Obesity Specialist), which is a tool available to the entire population that helps obese people locate, quickly and easily, professionals who are experts in weight control.
And professionals know that losing weight in overweight and obese people is not an easy task, and requires the advice and intervention of expert health professionals who evaluate both the causes of excess weight and guide on the best options to tackle this health problem and its possible associated complications. The website allows health professionals involved in the management of obesity to register free of charge, giving the option of geolocating their medical consultation. Not only does it incorporate endocrinologists, but this tool is open to all professionals involved in the area.
