[Sportschosun] A man who tried to gain weight by taking health supplements ended up losing weight instead, drawing public attention.
According to South China Morning Post and SCMP, a truck driver surnamed Ryu in Shanghai had been under severe stress because he was extremely thin, standing 178 cm tall and weighing just 53 kg.
In March, Mr. Ryu came across the social media account of an influencer surnamed Chen, who claimed to help people gain weight.
Mr. Ryu contacted Chen right away. Chen claimed that all of the products he sold were made from natural herbal ingredients, had no side effects, and would improve digestive function to help users gain weight.
Chen later asked Mr. Ryu to send a photo of his tongue coating, saying he would make an accurate diagnosis. After looking at the photo, Chen said Mr. Ryu had an imbalance of hot and cold energy in his body and proposed a customized "constitution improvement plan."
Tempted by the offer, Mr. Ryu first paid 4,000 yuan, or about 900,000 won, and began taking large amounts of the powdered product. But even after several days, he did not gain weight. Instead, he lost weight and developed symptoms such as dizziness, abdominal bloating, and nocturia.
When Mr. Ryu complained about the side effects, Chen reassured him that this was "the normal process of toxins being expelled from the body" and urged him to buy more, saying he would need to take more of the product to see results. Believing Chen, Mr. Ryu eventually paid an additional 6,000 yuan, or about 1.35 million won, for more products.
But things did not go as expected. At the end of April, Mr. Ryu was hospitalized with severe pain and was diagnosed with chronic gastritis.
After collecting and analyzing the products Mr. Ryu had taken, medical staff found that they were nothing more than simple probiotics and dietary fiber, not special herbal medicines. They explained that excessive intake of probiotics and dietary fiber to the point of straining the body was the direct cause of his chronic gastritis. Even a month after receiving hospital treatment, Mr. Ryu was still reportedly suffering from weight-loss side effects.
After realizing he had been scammed, Mr. Ryu reported the influencer to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health on suspicion of illegal medical practice. The authorities have launched a full investigation into Chen.
Local internet users reacted with criticism and sympathy, saying, "He should have been selling weight-loss products instead," "It was reckless to consult an unqualified influencer instead of a doctor about a health problem," and "Health foods sold online are hard to trust."
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
