In Malaysia, dubious health supplements thrive on social media despite repeated warnings

KUALA LUMPUR – A claim that a Malaysian woman died after consuming health supplements sold on TikTok has renewed alarm about unregulated products promoted on social media to those seeking cures, fairer skin or weight loss.

Though the claims, including of her death, are still under investigation by the authorities, the case underscores a growing public health concern in Malaysia, where the number of people on dialysis has risen from nearly 30,000 in 2012 to more than 51,000 today. A number of cases are linked to toxic or adulterated supplements.

A widely shared post on Meta’s platform Threads on Nov 6 alleged that the woman, whose identity was not disclosed, died after taking the supplements, sold as RM20 (S$6.30) gummies and marketed for skin health and anti-ageing benefits. The post has since been deleted.

In a statement on Nov 9, the Food Safety and Quality Division of the Health Ministry said the alleged product, which it did not name, contained glutathione, an active ingredient on the Negative List of the Drug Registration Guidance Document.

“Therefore, the product does not comply with Section 13B(2)(d) of the Food Act 1983, which prohibits the addition of any substance not permitted under the Act or its regulations,” the agency said.

Glutathione is often marketed as a skin-whitening supplement, but scientific evidence of its effectiveness is limited. It can cause kidney and liver damage, thyroid disturbances and severe allergic reactions or infections, and has not been approved for aesthetic use by Malaysia’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), the US Food and Drug Administration or the World Health Organisation.

Dr Soehardy Zainudin, consultant nephrologist at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, said the use of such products is widespread, spurred by the desire to have lighter skin, lose weight or get healthier.

“From my experience, that is often how it begins: People google their symptoms or goals, then believe what they read from unreliable sources,” he told The Straits Times.

“The root of the problem is desperation and misplaced trust in the wrong information.”

He said he has treated patients who developed kidney failure after consuming collagen-based slimming products, including one who now requires regular haemodialysis.

“Lately, several slimming products have gone viral online, and some can directly and seriously harm the kidneys,” Dr Soehardy said.

Such products are being promoted openly by influencers on TikTok and other platforms, which allow audiences a quick and easy way to purchase them directly on their phones, with the viewers’ knowledge of the products’ efficacy based solely on what is claimed in the videos.

The NPRA has issued periodic warnings about such products since 2008, with 11 alerts recorded in 2025 alone. Many products contained highly toxic substances such as mercury, banned skin-lightening agent hydroquinone, and prescription-only drugs like tretinoin and metronidazole, which can cause serious health effects if misused.

In September, both NPRA and Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority issued advisories against several products, including traditional Chinese pimple patch Chang-Sze-Long Badu Gao, which contains mercury, as well as JC Beauty Culture Radiance Renewal Serum and The Perfect Derma Cream, which were found to contain hydroquinone, tretinoin and miconazole, an antifungal medicine not approved for cosmetic use.

Despite their vigilance, these agencies face an uphill battle. On Facebook, numerous groups created to support diabetic patients are flooded with posts promoting dubious supplements that claim to control blood sugar levels, ranging from synthetic powders to herbal formulations.

Meta’s official guidelines prohibit the promotion of skin whitening or bleaching products that cause permanent skin colour change, as well as ads exploiting insecurities to conform to certain beauty standards, but they allow ads promoting weight loss and anti-ageing products to those over 18.

Madam Rahmah Hanafi, 54, from Kampung Pantai Dalam in Kuala Lumpur, said she has been trying various supplements to control her blood sugar levels after she was diagnosed with diabetes nine years ago.

Despite taking doctor-prescribed medication such as metformin, she told ST that she turns to alternative remedies as additional ikhtiar, or Malay for “effort”, against the disease.

“We, Muslims, are taught to find ikhtiar against diseases, so I started drinking water infused with fenugreek seeds because I read on Facebook that it can lower sugar levels and cholesterol, but it didn’t do me any good,” Madam Rahmah said.

She has tried other measures, including pomegranate juice mixed with gum arabic, which was promoted in her village’s WhatsApp group with similar claims.

Dr Jamuna Radha Krishna, a consultant nephrologist at KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital, said three out of every 10 patients she sees are consuming some form of supplements bought online, with many resulting in a damaging spike of creatine and potassium in their kidneys, as well as protein leaking into their urine.

“Most people want cure, not treatment, so they are swayed by the promises advertised online by people selling these products,” she said.

One of her diabetes patients stopped taking his medication after watching a video on TikTok promoting a supplement promising fast results.

“He said his diabetes can be cured by just consuming the supplement for three days,” she said.

With more than 10,000 people starting dialysis every year in Malaysia, the cost burden of kidney issues to the public healthcare system is expected to exceed RM4 billion by 2040.

The problem results in a loss of productivity, with each patient required to sit for multiple hours, several times a week, for dialysis. A 2023 study by the International Islamic University of Malaysia put the figure at RM234 million in lost productivity, or around RM12,000 a patient.

Dr Jamuna has seen patients as young as 17 coming in with kidney problems stemming from consuming supplements without proper supervision.

“Many people think taking supplements is safe because it’s just a supplement, not drugs, but even vitamin C at high enough doses is bad for the human body,” she said.