Health ministry issues warning against weight-loss pill in UAE

Abu Dhabi - Several people have been hospitalised due to inadvertent suffocation or intestinal blockage.

The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi issued a warning against another slimming tablet known as "Glucomannan capsules". The pills have been advertised on a number of social media networks and pose a great health risk to consumers.
The pink weight-loss pills contain glucomanaan, a natural substance extracted from plants.
Imbibing quantities of this plant-extract without sufficient water, at least 250mL, may result in suffocation or even blocking the digestive tract, as per Al Khaleej report. 
Several cases have been reported worldwide where people have either suffocated, gotten a blockage in their throats, or even in their intestines, as a result of ingesting the pills improperly. 
People should refrain from taking the pills immediately prior to sleep.
Pills containing glucomannan extract must be registered with the UAE's Ministry of Health and Community Prevention before being sold locally.
The ministry would collaborate with the pill's manufacturers and distributors, making sure that each bottle would contain an instructions packet and  warning label. 
 

• Abu Dhabi