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This was the substance found by the Ho Chi Minh City Police in the “collagen capsules” sold by 27-year-old influencer Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, known as Ngan 98, whose TikTok videos have amassed more than 40 million views. They also contained phenolphthalein, another banned substance.

The capsules were sold as part of a weight-loss product.

Ngan was taken into custody on Monday on charges of producing and selling counterfeit food products.

The Drug Administration has banned sibutramine since 2010 due to its adverse effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also banned the substance since 1997 because it significantly increases the blood pressure and heart rate, posing life-threatening risks to individuals with heart conditions.

But despite this, sibutramine continues to appear in many unregulated and dubious weight-loss products sold in Vietnam.

According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, director of the poison control center at Hanoi’s Bach Mai Hospital, explained that sibutramine works directly on the central nervous system, increasing serotonin and noradrenaline levels in the brain, which creates feelings of satiety and reduces appetite.

The poison control center has treated many victims of food supplements and weight-loss coffees containing banned substances, including patients admitted in a coma, with seizures or suffering from brain damage. One case involved a 37-year-old woman who drank four packs of weight-loss coffee and experienced shortness of breath, chills, excessive thirst, and a sudden drop in body temperature. Doctors identified the main cause as sibutramine in the coffee.

Dr. Doan Du Manh of the Vietnam Vascular Disease Association said when blood vessels constrict [due to sibutramine]the heart must work harder, leading to increased pressure and risk of damage, especially in patients with pre-existing conditions. Even more concerningly, the toxicity could accumulate, often without early warning signs.

In mid-2024 Hanoi market management authorities seized over 2,000 sophisticated counterfeit weight-loss capsules found to contain sibutramine. They reported that the counterfeiters mimicked real packaging and labeling and concealed production sites by selling products through social media platforms with limited regulatory oversight. Their low prices and attractive packaging drew many buyers.

Health coach Phan Thai Tan said advertisements promising “rapid fat burning” or “lose three to five kilograms in just a few days” mean the product contains stimulants, diuretics or banned substances like sibutramine. Instant weight loss like this can lead to issues such as menstrual disorders, hair loss, mental health decline, and increased risk of chronic eating disorders.

Experts warned there is no substitute for a balanced diet and scientific lifestyle in managing weight. Safe weight loss should aim for a maximum of 0.5–1 kg per week. Sustainable weight management relies on strict energy control, ensuring calories burned exceed calories consumed, they added.