FDA: Eat fruits, veggies rich in glutathione
WANT whiter skin? Better stick to natural methods like eating lots of watermelon, avocado, broccoli, spinach and tomatoes to boost natural glutathione levels in your body, said the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA gave this bit of advice to complexion-conscious Filipinos, warning that high doses of glutathione administered intravenously as a skin whitening agent has been linked to fatal skin disorders.
FDA chief Dr. Suzette Lazo yesterday expressed alarm over the recent cases of fatal skin disorders such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis linked to the unapproved use of glutathione IV administered at 600 milligrams to 1.2 grams once or twice a week.
“We have become increasingly alarmed that people use this in very high doses intravenously as a skin-whitening agent,” Lazo told reporters in a press briefing at the Department of Health office in Manila. She said the dosage between 600 milligrams to 1.2 grams administered as a skin-whitening agent has no approval from the FDA.
“The only approved indication for this format of glutathione is to help cancer patients cope with the toxicity associated with cisplatin chemotherapy,” said Lazo.
Glutathione is a natural and “endogenous” substance or antioxidant produced by the liver to help boost the body’s immune system. But manufacturers of the glutathione solution have successfully marketed it for its whitening properties.
“Glutathione as a skin whitener was an accidental discovery which has not been really established or proven according to bodies of medical literature,” said Lazo.
“We would like to remind the public and warn them that glutathione injection is a very unsafe practice and I hope they will stop receiving these injections at this point to preserve their health,” Lazo added.
Adverse drug reactions resulting from the use of glutathione IV for skin whitening reported to the FDA included skin rashes, SJS and toxic epidermal necrolysis, derangement in the thyroid function and kidney dysfunction, she noted. /INQUIRER
