HAZARDOUS USE OF

HEALTH SUPPLEMENT
ZAINAL ABIDIN BIN ZAKARIA
THE PROBLEM

What is the problem? • Usage of unproven health supplement

• Vast numbers of Malaysians. Especially

Who has this problem?
the elders and those desperate patients
Why should this • To protect those “victims” and potential
problem be solved? “victims”
• Educate ourselves and those who are
What can we do?
near to us.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Hazardous use of health supplement
• A lot of so-called health advisor promoting unproven supplement in social
media, and even in real life.
• How to know if the so-called health advisors are promoting unproven health
benefits of their supplements?
• They use highly sophisticated scientific jargons, often they cannot well explained.
• They use pseudoscience terms.
• They cannot provide scientific evidence to support their claims.
• They use multi-level testimonials.
PROHIBITION OF ADVERTISEMENTS
RELATING TO CERTAIN DISEASES
1. Diseases or defects of the kidney. 11. Drug addiction.
2. Diseases or defects of the heart. 12. Hernia or rupture.
3. Diabetes 13. Diseases of the eye.
4. Epilepsy or fits. 14. Hypertension.
5. Paralysis. 15. Mental disorder.
6. Tuberculosis. 16. Infertility.
7. Asthma. 17. Frigidity
8. Leprosy. 18. Impairment of sexual function or impotency.
9. Cancer. 19. Venereal disease.
10. Deafness. 20. Nervous debility, or other complaint or infirmity, arising from
or relating to sexual intercourse.
 WHAT CAN WE DO?
Cross-check Get Professional Advice Monitor our F&F

The supplement Consult your doctor. Protect our F&F from

registration with MOH. Get second being victim.
Evidence of the professional advice, if Aware of their health
claims. needed. condition.
Title of the founder. Never abandon Keep an eye to see if
modern treatment. they are taking any
supplement.
Ensure their following
their treatment, if any.
CROSS-CHECK REGISTRATION

http://quest3plus.bpfk.gov.my/pmo2/index.php
CROSS-CHECK EVIDENCE

Levels of evidence
CROSS-CHECK TITLE

http://www.mmc.gov.my/index.php/medical-register
USE INTERNET WISELY
• Google is a good tools. But it just as good as the user.
• Get information from trusted website.
• Follow trusted individuals or page in social media.
• Always cross-check the information received.
CONCLUSION
• So, is supplements bad for us?
Definitely not….but they are:
• Not for curing disease. Especially those 20 diseases.
• Not meant to replace your normal medical treatment.
• If you have medical condition, consult your doctor before taking any
supplements.
• Supplements are good to provide us with our missing nutrients,
but they are supplements, should not carry any medical claims.
THANK YOU

Question?
Ask your doctor