Health Ministry Warns of Weight Loss Product After Young Man Hospitalized

Israel's Ministry of Health has issued an urgent warning against the purchase and consumption of the "G-Slim" weight loss product following the hospitalization of a young man experiencing chest pains and a rapid heartbeat. Laboratory tests on the product revealed it contains Sibutramine, a banned pharmaceutical substance, at a concentration three times higher than previously outlawed formulations.

Sibutramine is prohibited in Israel and many other countries due to severe health risks, including increased blood pressure, rapid pulse, anxiety, insomnia, and in critical cases, heart attacks, strokes, psychiatric disturbances, and even death. The Ministry advises the public to avoid purchasing medications and dietary supplements from unverified sources like social media, messaging groups, and unknown websites, recommending instead to buy only from licensed pharmacies and health chains.

The Ministry also stressed the importance of consulting licensed nutritionists for weight loss advice. This incident follows previous warnings issued by the Ministry regarding similar products marketed on social media, including "Magic Honey" in August, which also contained Sibutramine, and "7 Slim Extra" in July, which led to the hospitalization of a woman with severe headaches and dangerously high blood pressure, despite earlier warnings dating back to 2014.