A health advocate advised against administering intravenous (IV) drips at home or outside of a registered clinic, emphasizing the importance of professional supervision to avoid infections and other complications.
"We have a protocol for conducting these procedures that require sterile techniques. We don't want to introduce infections to people just because we inserted a line into their vein," former Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) president and health advocate Dr. Maricar Limpin said in Filipino during an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Monday, Feb. 26.
This came to light after celebrity Mariel Padilla revealed that she had a vitamin C drip procedure at her spouse Senator Robin Padilla's office.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/25/mariel-rodriguez-apologizes-over-vitamin-c-drip-in-husband-s-office
"Glutathione is an antioxidant. It helps fight against free radicals, which cause damage to our cells or tissues," Limpin explained, highlighting the importance of understanding its role beyond mere skin whitening.
While acknowledging its detoxifying properties, she said: “Maganda ang glutathione in terms of 'pag may mga chemicals na hindi magaganda, it can detoxify the chemical in a human's body (Glutathione is beneficial in terms of detoxifying harmful chemicals in the human body).”
However, she cautioned against its indiscriminate use, particularly when paired with other medications.
The expert highlighted potential interactions with drugs used for heart disease, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which could lead to complications.
Moreover, Limpin stressed the significance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and rigorous testing, urging consumers to verify the credentials of products before use.
“At ang glutathione, especially kung hindi sya approved ng FDA at hindi na-test, tapos ginagamit ng isang tao as supplement, walang kasiguraduhan kung anong side effect ang maaari nitong idulot sa katawan (And glutathione, especially if it's not approved by the FDA and hasn't been tested, then used by a person as a supplement, there's no certainty about what side effects it may cause to the body),” health advocate noted.
She warned that without proper regulation, the side effects of glutathione remain uncertain and could pose serious health risks, especially for those with pre-existing conditions like asthma.
"Kung ikaw naman ay may hika, nakita natin na ang glutathione ay maaaring maging sanhi ng pag-atake ng hika (If you have asthma, we have seen that glutathione can trigger asthma attacks)," Limpin pointed out.
Moreover, addressing misconceptions about the speed and mode of administration, the expert clarified that glutathione's effects, whether taken orally or intravenously, are not instantaneous and cannot be considered a quick fix.
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