Weight-loss supplements with a drug: Sibutramine in lethal doses found in popular supplements on marketplaces
Imagine this: you order a "natural" and "safe" dietary supplement for weight loss on a major marketplace, hoping for an easy weight adjustment. Instead, you receive a potent substance that is only available by prescription in Russia and can send a person to intensive care. This is exactly what journalists discovered when they tested four of the best-selling "miracle" products. In every single one, without exception, they found sibutramine—in doses two to three times higher than the maximum therapeutic levels.
What Exactly Was Found in the Packaging
The editorial team of Izvestia purchased four popular products that are actively marketed as American or European supplements:
- Supressa Fast Metabolism
- Ultra Lipo 3
- Mineral Balance
- coffee S Figura Slim
Independent laboratories confirmed: sibutramine is present in all four samples. In Supressa Fast Metabolism capsules — 28.5 mg per capsule, in Ultra Lipo 3 — 37 mg, in Mineral Balance — 25.3 mg. This is 1.5–3 times higher than the dosages previously used even in prescription drugs. The substance was also found in S Figura Slim coffee (about 13.4 mg in one sachet).
Sibutramine is not a harmless "metabolism booster." It is a psychostimulant that affects satiety centers in the brain, raises blood pressure, accelerates heart rate, and can provoke anxiety, insomnia, hallucinations, and serious cardiovascular complications. In Russia, its free sale is banned precisely because of these risks.
Who Is Especially at Risk
The audience is particularly concerning. According to the investigation, these supplements are actively purchased by teenagers and young women. There are already real cases: a 15-year-old girl from Voronezh began experiencing hallucinations and sudden behavioral changes after taking Supressa Fast Metabolism. Her parents had no idea that a potent substance was hidden in "natural" packaging.
Manufacturers disguise the products as foreign brands, although experts see signs of makeshift production — presumably on the territory of Kazakhstan. Supplies come through a network of sellers registered, among other places, in small towns. This scheme allows them to bypass control and quickly bring new names to market when old ones are banned.
What the Authorities Are Doing
Following the publication, Rospotrebnadzor has already launched an inspection. The agency sent a request to the Association of Internet Trade Companies demanding the urgent removal of the dangerous products. On several platforms, listings for these dietary supplements have begun to be hidden. However, history repeats itself: earlier, "Molekula" and "Molekula Plus" with the same sibutramine were removed from the market — and now they have returned under new flashy names.
What Buyers Should Do
While the system reacts slowly, the main advice is simple:
- Do not buy weight-loss dietary supplements promising "quick results" and "natural composition" without a clear listing of all ingredients and registration.
- Check whether the product is in the EAEU registry.
- If any symptoms occur after taking them (tachycardia, anxiety, insomnia, behavioral changes) — see a doctor immediately and report the product you took.
- Remember: if a product truly works "like a medicine," it most likely contains a medicine — just without dosage control or medical supervision.
The pursuit of slimness should not cost you your health. Especially when a substance that has repeatedly proven its danger is hidden behind a pretty package.
