No real benefit from Vitamin C Injections

While many Malaysians pop a Vitamin C tablet every morning for a host of reasons, others are opting for a syringeful of the diet supplement.
Prices range from RM100 for a jab or RM2,700 for a series of 'special' seven injections that come with the promise of a lighter complexion, anti-ageing benefits and general good health.
Some also pay a premium for a cocktail of ingredients that include Vitamin C and other elements, including collagen and placenta.
While most of the suppliers are private medical practitioners, there are also beauticians cashing in.
Even some government doctors have got into the act and are peddling the liquid diet supplement to nurses.
Some 'patients' go for daily jabs, others every two days, once a week or once a fortnight.
But it’s not all glowing face and rosy cheeks; there are some very real side effects.
They include localised inflammation of the vein, thinning of bones, kidney problems and allergic reactions.
While some of the side effects may be temporary and not really serious, there are others which may lead to death.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Merican believes that Vitamin C administered intravenously is of no real benefit to anyone.
“I strongly believe that women are being duped into parting with their money by some using baseless claims,” he said.
He said the perception that Vitamin C helped overall wellness needed to be proved by facts.
“Action will be taken against errant doctors if complaints are filed against them.”
It is learnt that the intravenous Vitamin C preparation is imported. The intravenous Vitamin C fad began last year when beauty parlours started promoting it on the basis that it did wonders to the skin besides having anti-ageing properties.
Initially, beauticians sold the preparation to clients, who sought doctors for the injections.
But doctors who charged between RM20 and RM50 for an injection saw how lucrative the fad could be, and began obtaining stocks of the imported intravenous Vitamin C preparation.
Several medical practitioners when contacted said they were aware of the trend but declined to elaborate.
It is understood that clients include entertainers, senior executives, lawyers, teachers and company secretaries.
Malaysia Dermatology Association president Dr Gangaram Hemandas said claims attached to the Vitamin C injections were exaggerated.
"From a scientific point of view, there is no justification for its use as an intravenous infusion," he said, adding that the best way to deliver Vitamin C to the skin was applying it as a cream.
Dr Hemandas, the senior consultant and laser surgeon at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, said Vitamin C supplements were for people with low levels of the vitamin.
"As far as aesthetic purposes are concerned, Vitamin C does not reach the skin in significant amounts to be effective.
"I really don’t know who started the whole story with these baseless claims."
He said the association had written to the Health Ministry and the National Pharmaceutical Bureau on the issue.
"We are against this practice because the product is not registered, the intake has side-effects and consumers are being duped into believing claims which are baseless."
Malaysian Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery protem committee secretary Dr Ruban Satkuna Nathan said he had been asked for such injections by guest relation officers and entertainers.
"Many are willing to pay any amount."
He said the company holding the rights to the product in the region had not registered in Malaysia.
Health Ministry pharmaceutical services division deputy-director Dr Ahmad Mahmud said officers had stepped up investigations into the beauty parlour connection.
"We have conducted raids at some of their outlets as well as several clinics in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor.
"The suppliers are smart as they keep the stock elsewhere and only provide them upon demand."
Dr Ahmad said the Ministry could take errant doctors to court under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952, where offenders can be fined a maximum of RM25,000 and jailed for a maximum of four years.
Source