sttanseb
07-02-2012, 11:34 AM
Four men aged between 30 and 78 were taken to hospital last week with dangerously low blood-sugar levels related to their consumption of illegal sexual-enhancement health products.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said in a statement yesterday that two of them were unconscious when taken to hospital, while the other two were confused and weak.
All four are no longer in critical condition, but the two who were initially unconscious suffered more severe reactions to the health products.
One of them remains in "a non-communicative state", while the other can hold only simple conversations, said HSA.
"HSA strongly reiterates its warnings on the danger of illegal health products and reminds members of the public not to buy or consume such products."
The urine and blood of the men were tested and found to contain glibenclamide, an anti-diabetes medicine which was identified as the cause of their low blood-sugar levels.
Glibenclamide is a potent Western drug and is a prescription-only medicine that should be used under medical supervision.
It is used by diabetics to lower blood-sugar levels. But, when used without proper supervision, the medicine can cause blood-sugar levels to drop from normal to dangerously low, which can cause confusion, seizures and unconsciousness.
If untreated, it can even lead to coma and death.
Of the four men, only one is diabetic, but he was not prescribed glibenclamide.
Glibenclamide has been found frequently in illegal sexual-enhancement health products, such as Power 1 Walnut and Singapore Power 1.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said in a statement yesterday that two of them were unconscious when taken to hospital, while the other two were confused and weak.
All four are no longer in critical condition, but the two who were initially unconscious suffered more severe reactions to the health products.
One of them remains in "a non-communicative state", while the other can hold only simple conversations, said HSA.
"HSA strongly reiterates its warnings on the danger of illegal health products and reminds members of the public not to buy or consume such products."
The urine and blood of the men were tested and found to contain glibenclamide, an anti-diabetes medicine which was identified as the cause of their low blood-sugar levels.
Glibenclamide is a potent Western drug and is a prescription-only medicine that should be used under medical supervision.
It is used by diabetics to lower blood-sugar levels. But, when used without proper supervision, the medicine can cause blood-sugar levels to drop from normal to dangerously low, which can cause confusion, seizures and unconsciousness.
If untreated, it can even lead to coma and death.
Of the four men, only one is diabetic, but he was not prescribed glibenclamide.
Glibenclamide has been found frequently in illegal sexual-enhancement health products, such as Power 1 Walnut and Singapore Power 1.