Kim Kardashian at the Oscar party hosted by Vanity Fair. (Beverly Hills, March 27, 2022) Dimitrios Kambouris
Fashion is for tow shapes. Social media influencers are extolling the virtues of an over-the-counter drug that costs less than €10.
There was a time when women still dreamed of Kate Moss’ slender silhouettes and perky breasts. But in the light of social networks and the emergence of reality TV influencers, this reference model gave way to others and, in our news feeds, now parade bodies that are more pleasant and more pleasant. Today we want Emily Ratajkowski’s boobs, Kendall Jenner’s belly and Kim Kardashian’s butt.
To promote this “hourglass body”, content creators on Instagram, Youtube or Tiktok boast about the merits of more dangerous products, which in their speed and effectiveness have turned into a magic recipe. Recently, an anti-allergic remedy for “thin”, “extremely thin” to gain weight quickly and especially in the buttocks. Available over the counter for less than 10 euros per box, AFP reports, Periactin (from Teofarma) is growing online. “I, who don’t eat anymore, am always hungry, I even eat in my bed,” testified a young woman. It works extremely well, it makes you fat instantly.”
Medicines that are no longer prescribed
Problem: the drug (which has cyproheptadine as an active ingredient) is no longer prescribed, and if it were, it would only be for people with allergies. “The benefit/risk ratio of cyproheptadine should be reassessed in order to withdraw its marketing authorization or at least include it in the list of mandatory prescriptions,” warned the French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (SFPT) at the end of a press release. in March. “Cyproheptadine is a very old drug, marketed in France since the 1960s, which has been out-competed by much more effective molecules and is no longer prescribed,” added Dr Laurent Chouchana, pharmacovigilance officer. Member of this molecule and SFPT. with AFP.
Prior to 1994, Periactin was prescribed to “stimulate appetite in patients whose appetite is accompanied by weight loss.” However, “molecules that affect weight are particularly scrutinized for their potential abuse,” says Dr. Chuchana. If the representatives of the questioned pharmacists assured that they sell it only “very rarely”, the drug is also available online, where its purchase is often combined with other means of weight gain. An investigation into its online sale by the Agency for Medicines (ANSM) is ongoing.
Drowsiness and hallucinations
A year ago, another drug was the heyday of social media influencers. It was cyproheptadine for “cosmetic weight gain”. A warning about this particularly dangerous phenomenon was made by Dr. Chuchana’s team, as well as by Internet users. “We discovered the sorcerer’s apprentices who were making incredible medical prescriptions to look like (reality TV star) Kim Kardashian. the limit of the illegal practice of medicine,” he informs.
Side effects of this drug include drowsiness, tremors, hallucinations and “more serious effects such as liver, blood, heart problems, especially if there is an overdose, based on the dosages recommended in the videos on the Internet.” , the doctor notes. Known effects of periactin, including stomach pain and sleep disturbances, as reported by users on the Internet.
Selena Gomez, a victim of “bodyshaming” on social networks, responds to criticism about her weight in a video
Cyproheptadine abuse in Africa predated social media in the 2000s. A 2011 scientific study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo found cases of obesity, particularly as people became addicted to cyproheptadine.
Source: Le Figaro
