Weight level is closely related to human health status. With the improvement of living standards and the enhancement of health awareness, the concept of "weight management" has become increasingly popular, and various weight loss products and services are highly sought after by consumers. It is worth noting that a large number of weight loss products on the market that claim to have "special effects", "quick results", and "natural" illegally add illegal additives such as "sibutramine", which may seem to have strong efficacy and quick results, but in fact pose hidden health risks. The State Administration for Market Regulation reminds and urges consumers to carry out weight management in a scientific and rational manner, be alert to "rapid weight loss" marketing scams, stay away from illegal addition of sibutramine, and be the first responsible person for their own health. Understanding Sibutramine: Efficacy and Contraindications Sibutramine was originally a prescription drug used to treat obesity. It acts on the central nervous system, inhibits the appetite of the user, makes them feel less hungry, and reduces food intake to achieve weight loss goals. With the deepening of clinical applications and medical research, the medical community has discovered that sibutramine poses significant and uncontrollable risks to the human body. For example, it can cause increased heart rate, significant rise in blood pressure, and damage to the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke; Causing liver and kidney damage; May cause mental and neurological problems such as insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and even mental disorders. For individuals with a history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, arrhythmia/tachycardia, liver and kidney dysfunction, anxiety disorders, depression, and other mental illnesses, as well as pregnant women, lactating women, and women preparing to conceive, special attention should be paid to the dangers of sibutramine. On October 30, 2010, the former State Food and Drug Administration issued a notice on stopping the production, sale, and use of sibutramine preparations and active pharmaceutical ingredients, which explicitly prohibited the production, sale, and use of sibutramine. On March 16, 2012, sibutramine was included in the "List of Substances that May be Illegally Added in Health Foods (First Batch)". Sibutramine is a prohibited drug in China and also a toxic and harmful non food ingredient that is prohibited by the state. Adding Sibutramine and its derivatives to food (including health food) is suspected of violating relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and constitutes a crime of producing and selling toxic and harmful food. Governance of illegal additions: Market regulation is taking action. Some criminals, in order to evade daily supervision, simply change the structure of chemical substances with the same functional effect, forming compounds with equivalent efficacy to known substances but completely new in chemical identification. For example, by adding a chlorine containing group to "sibutramine" and replacing it with "chlorinated sibutramine", the two compounds have similar functions and hazards, but belong to two different compounds. New substances often lack food safety standards, inspection methods, and risk and hazard assessments. Criminals alter their appearance and illegally add them to food, making it difficult to prevent. In order to severely crack down on the illegal addition of toxic and harmful substances in food, the State Administration for Market Regulation has organized inspection and testing institutions to develop enforcement inspection methods, and organized experts to determine the toxicity and harm of sibutramine and its derivatives. On October 20, 2025, the General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation issued a notice on the issuance of opinions on the determination of toxicity and harm of sibutramine and its derivatives, as well as enforcement inspection methods, which identified sibutramine and its derivatives in food as "toxic and harmful non food raw materials". Facilitating market supervision departments across the country to handle similar cases and issuing warnings against such criminal behavior, effectively supporting national administrative law enforcement and criminal justice in cracking down on cases of illegal addition of toxic and harmful substances. Identify marketing chaos: Beware of illegal additives. Despite being banned in China for over a decade, there are still criminals who package illegal additives into related foods as so-called "special effect" weight loss products, marketed with the selling points of "quick effect" and "no side effects". Consumers must remain vigilant. For example, some illegal merchants use "natural ingredients" and "traditional Chinese medicine extracts" as gimmicks to sell so-called health and weight loss teas, weight loss granules, or package weight loss candies and coffee containing sibutramine ingredients as so-called "imported" products under the names of "overseas cross-border" and "celebrity style"; Some internet hosts or bloggers also attract various unknown "internet celebrities" for weight loss products through sharing experiences, soft article implantation, and other forms. Consumers should keep in mind that any fast weight loss products that claim to "lose x pounds in a day", "lose x pounds in x days", or "no need for exercise and no dietary restrictions" should be purchased and used with caution; Products that do not have health food labels or approval numbers but promote or imply the efficacy of health food should be purchased and used with caution; Any products that cannot provide cross-border commodity related documents, print poorly, or have unknown origins should be purchased and used with caution. There is no shortcut to scientific and rational consumption for weight loss, health is fundamental. We remind and advocate consumers to cultivate healthy lifestyle habits. A healthy lifestyle is the best "weight loss medicine", and daily life should pay attention to eating and moving balance. "Keeping your mouth shut, taking big steps," and creating energy gaps are more scientific and safe weight loss rules. At the same time, if there are differences in individual states and it is necessary to use weight loss drugs in combination, it should be done under the guidance of professionals such as doctors. If you experience adverse symptoms after consuming weight loss products, it is important to seek medical attention promptly. The second is to establish a rational consumption concept. When purchasing food online or offline, it is necessary to check product labels, ingredient lists, allergens, and other necessary information, and refuse to purchase "three no" products with missing manufacturer information. In the process of consumption, it is necessary to develop the habit of requesting formal receipts and consumption vouchers, and pay attention to personal information, property, and personal safety, to guard against false marketing and induced consumption traps. The third is to safeguard one's own rights and interests in accordance with the law. Once consumers discover that their rights and interests have been damaged, they can promptly demand that the operator or producer bear the liability for infringement, or report the situation to judicial organs, government departments, etc., and claim their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law. If illegal addition of sibutramine and its derivatives is found in food, it can be reported to relevant administrative departments to jointly maintain a good consumption environment. (New Society)