Expert warns public vs taking slimming pills

An expert warned the public yesterday against taking unlabelled slimming pills, saying they may contain thyroid hormones that can cause goiter.

Dr. Leilani Mercado-Asis, director of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism, said she had a patient in the past who developed goiter from taking diet pills.

"When we were talking, she admitted that she was taking ‘Bangkok pills.’ Initially, she did not want to tell me that," Asis said in an interview.

Asis found that her patient, after undergoing laboratory tests, had elevated levels of thyroid hormones. It turned out that the so-called Bangkok pills contain these hormones to speed up the body’s metabolism, leading to weight loss.

Goiter is a disorder caused by the oversupply or undersupply of thyroid hormones in the body. It is characterized by enlargement of the thyroid gland, which is found in front of the neck, below the voice box or larynx.

"We asked the public to avoid taking unlabelled slimming pills. It would be better if they could consult a doctor first," Asis said.

Meanwhile, Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. advised the public yesterday to be active in the campaign against cancer as the country observes "National Cancer Week."

Villar said lawmakers should go beyond filing bills to designate a certain day of the year as an awareness day for a certain disease. He said the government must do something to combat these diseases or support their victims.

He said cancer requires close attention since it is the third leading cause of death of Filipinos today and over a hundred die from it everyday.

"Jan. 17 to 23 is Cancer Consciousness Week. On top of this, there are different dates of observance for specific types of cancer such as for breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, leukemia among others. This is a good time to take action versus cancer before it becomes the number one killer of Filipinos, as projected in the next few years," Villar said.

Villar himself has filed bills related to cancer such as Senate Bill 116, establishing a program for public education on prostate cancer, and SB 2303, establishing an ovarian cancer awareness campaign. Other legislators are seeking the designation of other dates for awareness of prostate cancer, liver cancer and retinoblastoma, a cancer that affects the retina of the eye.

"As lawmakers, by filing those bills, we hope to help cancer sufferers and their families. The threat of cancer is real and just about anyone can get stricken by it," he said.

Villar cited statistics indicating that one of every 1,000 Filipinos will get cancer and that 200,000 Filipinos suffer from cancer yearly.

"Early detection is the key and creating awareness is the first step," he said. — With Christina Mendez