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This special edition of Health 360 highlights several pressing medical and lifestyle concerns, starting with the alarming trend of brides using diabetes medications for rapid cosmetic weight loss before their weddings.
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00:00Hello and welcome to a brand new episode of Health 360. On the show this week we are telling you
00:05about a worrying trend of new age brides seeking information and help with weight loss medications. It's natural for them
00:15to want to lose weight and to look good. They've been seeking all this while advice on exercise and nutrition
00:22but now they are wanting weight loss injections.
00:26Also on the show we'll tell you why senior citizens are over medicating and harming themselves. Delhi's Premier Most Ames,
00:35All India Institute of Medical Sciences has issued guidelines for the use of over-the-counter eye drops. Also the
00:41king of fruits is in the markets but under scrutiny. With cases of artificial ripening coming to light the focus
00:49now is on what really is safe to read.
00:52That and much more up ahead on the show this week. I'm Sneha Murdani. This is Health 360.
01:24Weddings in India are all about preparation. Outfits, jewellery, skincare, fitness routines. Well this list just keeps growing. But now
01:34there is a new addition that's raising concerns, raising eyebrows.
01:38A recent report highlights the rise of Monjaro bride with some women turning to weight loss injections like Monjaro to
01:48shed kilos quickly in the run-up to their wedding day.
01:51Doctors say they're seeing more brides walk into clinics with tight timelines looking for faster results.
01:57While these drugs were originally meant for conditions like type 2 diabetes, their growing use for cosmetic weight loss is
02:05now sparking a wider conversation.
02:19But the big day is getting closer. The outfit is ready. The photos are planned. But for a growing number
02:26of brides, there's one more thing on the checklist. Rapid weight loss.
02:31Across urban India, wellness clinics are reporting a surge in young women asking for weight loss injections like Monjaro just
02:40months before their wedding.
02:42Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, Monjaro and other weight loss medications, these are injections essentially, work by regulating blood
02:51sugar and suppressing appetite, leading to significant weight loss.
02:55But why just Monjaro or Monjaro brides? Here is a list of weight loss, diabetes drugs to choose from right
03:04now that they're available in the market at the cost of just hardly anything.
03:09Now it all started with looking good for your weddings, getting rid of acne, getting in your facials and hair
03:16in order for your big day.
03:18And then the big move towards doing something else more. Hit the gym, exercise and then of course indulge in
03:27one or two crash times.
03:28That's something that we've been seeing forever, isn't it?
03:31But brides nowadays in free bridal packages are being offered rapid weight loss.
03:38Doctors say they're seeing more and more brides walk into clinics with tight timelines looking for faster results.
03:45While these drugs were originally meant for conditions like type 2 diabetes, their growing use for cosmetic weight loss is
03:52now sparking a wider conversation.
03:55Is this just another evolving beauty trend or a worrying shortcut in the pressure to look perfect on the big
04:02day?
04:02See, weddings are one of the major reasons.
04:06So we saw a large influx of women coming to us inquiring about this in the last wedding season and
04:13now it's picking up again for the next wedding season.
04:16They want to drop some weight before wedding and I don't know if they saw some content or they got
04:22inspired by it that these drugs can help them quickly lose some weight.
04:27We have seen from past 10 to 15 years since the emergence of the social media, the pictures and all,
04:35they want to look at their best on their wedding day.
04:40One of the most special day in their life and they feel they want to look like most lean, they
04:47should fit well in that lehenga, whatever they have spent on it.
04:51That's why they are aiming for the weight loss thing.
04:54For me, it's an absolute wrong thing because it's not a package like for a bride.
04:59It's something that they can do definitely if they're looking to get healthy.
05:03There are two things that need to be understood.
05:06This medicine is written even on the Manjaro pen.
05:10If you look on the Manjaro pen, there's a warning label in there.
05:12It can only be prescribed by an endocrinologist or an internal medicine physician.
05:16So at our place, all medications are given by the endocrinologist and taken under their supervision.
05:22A lot of the clinics who give these varietal packages, they don't have the right doctor prescribing these medications and
05:29that can create a problem.
05:30But what one must not forget is that this is not your cosmetic fix.
05:34So what I mean, that is because there is an advertisement of this drug.
05:42You find the voties all over in the newspaper, you find them at the airport that everybody wants to lose
05:49weight fast.
05:50And so everybody is getting, taking this Manjaro for maybe three months or six months.
05:55So if this drug has to reduce weight, you have to realize that you have to start from lower dose.
06:01And this dose of 5,000 grams and above will make you reduce weight.
06:06These doses are actually only at the end of two months or three months.
06:09So the idea of eating for three months and six months and you reducing weight, this weight loss in some
06:17patients may not work in part.
06:23Weight loss before weddings isn't new.
06:26But what's changing is how far people are willing to go now and how quickly they want results.
06:32No one's willing to wait.
06:34As the idea of the perfect bride evolves, one question remains.
06:39Is this shortcut really worth it?
06:42Well, the mango season is back.
06:45But so are safety concerns.
06:47After a recent seizure in Hyderabad, questions now are being raised about how are these fruits, whether they are safe
06:53and how are they really getting ripened.
06:56Are you getting the real thing or something altered?
06:59The king of fruits is facing tough questions this summer.
07:03With chemicals, limits and safety under the scanner, this is our guide to help you decode your mangoes before you
07:12pick them for yourself and your loved ones.
07:15When summer is here, so is the mango season.
07:19Summers have arrived, bringing with it the much anticipated season of mangoes.
07:24And for many, biting into a ripe mango is the highlight of this time of the year.
07:30Mangoes aren't just a seasonal indulgence.
07:32They are nutritionally dense when eaten in the right quantity.
07:36Let's tell you about the benefits of it.
07:38Vitamin C, which in fact helps you build immunity.
07:42Vitamin A, great for vision and skin.
07:44Fiber, for your gut health.
07:46And of course, it acts as a rich antioxidant as well.
07:51Recently, around 200 kilograms of artificially ripened mangoes were seized in Hyderabad.
07:57Authorities also recovered sachets, alphithylene, ripener being used to speed up the process.
08:04Sounds boring, doesn't it?
08:06But here's the nuance.
08:08The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, which is FSSAI, does allow controlled artificial ripening.
08:17The carbides, which were used, and to be precise, it's called calcium carbide.
08:22It creates certain chemicals, like acetylene gas, you know.
08:28And this causes residues such as arsenic and phosphorus.
08:34These are toxic.
08:35So, it's been found that if you have used artificially ripened fruits,
08:40apart from the fact that the taste doesn't always go very well, you feel a bit synthetic.
08:45Sometimes there's a little smell.
08:47Or there is a bland taste.
08:48But more often, these are a little irritant to the throat and to the stomach lining.
08:54And that's the reason why, after having these fruits,
08:57you often feel a little bit of heartburn, that is burning in the chest, in the food pipe.
09:02Sometimes gastritis, abdominal pain.
09:05And sometimes, you know, they also produce or induce crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea.
09:12Sometimes nausea.
09:13So, these are some of the symptoms which actually occur mainly because of the chemicals that are generated or produced
09:20or that go into the fruit during the process of ripening.
09:24So, let's tell you what's allowed and what's not allowed.
09:28Under regulations, calcium carbide is banned due to health risks.
09:33If ironing gas is allowed, but only in safe limits.
09:36In this case, the limit was allegedly exceeding.
09:40Uniform, overly bright color.
09:43That is your red flag.
09:45It could be artificially ripened.
09:47A natural mango smells sweet.
09:49A chemical smell is a red flag.
09:52Too soft or mushy?
09:54That's another warning sign.
09:56Unusual spots of damage may indicate chemical exposure.
10:00If mangoes float in the water, they have been artificially ripened.
10:05Soak and rinse.
10:06Any color change could signal surface treatment of the mango.
10:10Well, if it is tasting bland or off, it is probably treated.
10:16Mangoes, remember, continue to be the summer's greatest choice.
10:19Just make sure what you're eating is as natural as it should be.
10:25Overmedication is a growing concern among older adults,
10:29where multiple prescriptions and self-medication often overlap.
10:33Well, as the body ages, it processes drugs more slowly,
10:37increasing the risk of side effects, dangerous interactions,
10:41and conditions like drug toxicity.
10:43Many seniors also take medicines for chronic illnesses such as
10:47hypertension and type 2 diabetes,
10:49making it easier for doses to conflict or become excessive.
10:53Without regular review, this can lead to confusion,
10:56falls and even hospitalization,
10:59highlighting the need for careful monitoring
11:01and rational use of medications.
11:13Are your loved ones, senior citizens around you,
11:16taking too many medicines?
11:18This could be really risky.
11:21A study has found that polypharmacy,
11:24which is the habit of taking many medicines,
11:275 or 10 or even more medicines every single day,
11:30is horrible.
11:31And worse, it's actually very common.
11:35The findings have been published in BMC Geriatrics,
11:38based on studies of frail elderly patients with dementia
11:41or limited life expectancy.
11:44They have chronic medical conditions,
11:46and these are multiple conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease,
11:51osteoarthritis, dementia.
11:52And for each condition, there are guideline-based medications.
11:56So that adds on to the medication list.
11:59You don't want to be very aggressive as far as blood sugar control is concerned
12:03or blood pressure is concerned.
12:05You can't start them on preventive therapies for heart disease like statins and blood thinners.
12:11It might do them more harm than good.
12:14Mixing too many drugs can cause side effects.
12:16Dizziness even falls.
12:18It can lead to confusion and memory problems.
12:21Whenever you are treating an elderly person,
12:24the criterias to treat it actually become different.
12:27You require less dosage of medication
12:29and less number of medications to control it
12:31so that they don't have adverse side effects
12:34because of a tight control.
12:35Because the body system, the body organs,
12:38they all change their working pattern.
12:40The blood pressure might fall if you have really strictly controlled it
12:43or the sugars might fall
12:44or they can go into hypoglycemia,
12:47which is dangerous.
12:48Experts also caution families against assuming
12:51that more medications mean better care.
12:53In reality, each additional drug increases the risk of harmful interactions.
12:59At that age, they usually have chronic pain issues, osteoarthritis.
13:04And if they are on painkillers like tramadol
13:07and then they are taking some sedatives like benzodiazepines for insomnia,
13:11which is common at that age,
13:13again, there will be more sedation,
13:14there will be more cognitive decline,
13:17there will be falls, fractures.
13:19So there are multiple interactions.
13:21See, each drug can lead to an interaction.
13:24What you must definitely do is ask your doctor about deprescribing.
13:29Doctors can safely reduce unnecessary medicines.
13:32This approach takes into account the patient's overall health,
13:36level of frailty and life expectancy.
13:39Medicines are tapered carefully with closed monitoring.
13:42Only your doctor can do it.
13:45The elderly people, they visit different doctors.
13:48Supposedly, it's an orthopedic doctor.
13:49Somebody would go to a physician.
13:50One would go to a cardiologist.
13:52Maybe the physician writes a blood pressure medication,
13:54which is a calcium channel blocker, of a different name.
13:57The cardiologist writes, again, a blood pressure medication
14:00of a different name, the same group,
14:03but of a mildly different compound, but in the same group.
14:07So if you combine both of them,
14:09they can really bring down the blood pressures
14:11to a much larger extent.
14:15Stopping these medications suddenly is not safe.
14:19Remember, review it regularly.
14:21Consult your doctor.
14:23Stay safe.
14:24Doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences
14:27have raised serious concerns
14:29about the casual use of over-the-counter eye drops.
14:33Well, what seems like a simple fix for irritation
14:35can actually worsen problems
14:38or even lead to infections like conjunctivitis.
14:41Even more alarming,
14:43unsupervised use of steroid-based drops
14:45has been linked to silent conditions like glaucoma,
14:48which can cause permanent vision loss if it not.
14:59Well, how many times have you simply picked up an eye drop
15:03over-the-counter without even thinking
15:05twice about what could possibly be going into it?
15:09So why am I asking you this question?
15:12Well, there is a reason.
15:13The government has issued a warning.
15:16Unapproved eye drops for dry eyes
15:18could be putting your eyes at risk
15:20instead of giving you relief.
15:22Well, the government,
15:23through Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences,
15:26has asked states to stop selling certain eye drops
15:29sodium hyaluronate.
15:32The government says it may not have
15:35the correct regulatory approval.
15:38So what exactly is sodium hyaluronate?
15:43Sodium hyaluronate is a compound
15:45that is derived from the cox comb
15:47or sometimes from bacteria.
15:48And it binds the normal tears of the eyes.
15:51And it was first approved at a smaller percentage.
15:54But over time,
15:55the companies have stepped up
15:57the concentration of this salt
15:58and made it a more denser eye drop.
16:01And that has not been entirely approved.
16:03Therefore, the government has now asked them
16:05to withdraw this higher concentrations
16:07of the same drop.
16:09And what then is the problem here?
16:12Officials say these drops, eye drops,
16:14fall under the category of a new drug,
16:17which means they must be cleared
16:19before being sold.
16:20Without approval,
16:22their safety and effectiveness
16:24remain unverified.
16:27Experts are advising people
16:29to use only doctor-prescribed eye drops
16:32and to buy medicines
16:33only from trusted sources.
16:35Many drops, they have some,
16:39the agents are not recommended
16:42by the DGCA,
16:44Director General of the drugs.
16:47So, but then it becomes very difficult
16:49to use them with the,
16:51especially in their eyes.
16:53So, without the prescription,
16:55we should not buy the drops
16:57from over the counter.
16:58And there, we don't know
17:01about the preservatives
17:02and what consequences
17:04they are going to produce
17:06on the eye.
17:07The fact is,
17:08even simple dry eye drops
17:09can be risky if unapproved.
17:11They may worsen irritation,
17:14increase dryness
17:15and raise infection risk.
17:17Risks are that
17:19we are not neglecting
17:21the associated diseases
17:23which are causing
17:25the dry eye to the patient.
17:27So, we are not addressing
17:28them directly.
17:30Secondly,
17:31the preservative
17:33is very, very essential
17:35part of any eye drop,
17:36which I think
17:37many people don't know.
17:39So, there are preservatives
17:41in the eye drops
17:42which can cause
17:43more harm
17:45to the patient's eye
17:46than giving them relief
17:48if they are used
17:49constantly
17:49and continuously.
17:51Doctors are advising
17:52that one must check a label.
17:54Consult your doctor
17:55before use.
17:56It's very important
17:57for us to see
17:58that a particular bottle
17:59that we are using,
18:00is it having the right
18:01percentage or concentration
18:02of the compound
18:03that you should be required?
18:04Does it have preservatives
18:06or is it preservative-free?
18:07There are many cases
18:08where doctors like
18:10to prescribe
18:11preservative-free medicines
18:12because the preservatives
18:13itself are harmful
18:14for the eyes.
18:15There are many situations
18:16where the pharmacist
18:17would give you an alternate
18:19to the drug
18:20that you were prescribed
18:20and that may not
18:21always be the best.
18:22So, do go back
18:23and verify
18:24with your ophthalmologist
18:25before you start
18:26using any such eyedrops.
18:28For many Indians,
18:29the danger of heart disease
18:30isn't always caught on time.
18:32Standard tests
18:33are built around
18:33global averages
18:34but they often miss
18:36the risk linked
18:37to the Asian phenotype
18:38like higher chances
18:40of central obesity
18:41and insulin resistance
18:42even at normal weight.
18:44As a result,
18:45warning signs
18:46can stay hidden,
18:47making early detection
18:48harder
18:49and outcomes worse.
18:51Here is a complete lowdown.
19:02With that,
19:03we are looking at
19:04sudden heart attacks.
19:05This is not news
19:06nor is it shocking anymore.
19:09Well, there are theories
19:10around why people
19:11as young as 40 are dying.
19:12It's a mystery though
19:14to some extent.
19:15Though lifestyle changes
19:16and environmental factors
19:18seem to be
19:19the culprits here.
19:21But doctors are now
19:22throwing the light
19:23on an important fact.
19:24A lot of people
19:25are testing,
19:26we do know.
19:27But the tests
19:28we are doing
19:29to rule out
19:30a possible heart attack
19:31in the near future
19:32may not be
19:34simply good enough
19:36or sufficient enough.
19:40Well, standard health checkups
19:42don't always detect
19:43hidden cardiovascular risk.
19:46Researchers have looked
19:47back at data
19:48in a retrospective study
19:51which was done
19:52in about 5,000 plus
19:54Indian patients.
19:55Well, these were people
19:56who had already experienced
19:58a fast heart attack.
19:59Most of these people
20:01were not flagged
20:02as high risk beforehand.
20:04Around 80%
20:05were classified as low
20:07and moderate risk
20:08using standard tools.
20:11When we used
20:12Western risk scores
20:13to Indian heart attack
20:14patients
20:14used,
20:15we saw
20:1680% of people
20:18were low risk
20:18and moderate risk
20:19in classifier.
20:20Based on this,
20:21we studied 5,000 people
20:22in the study.
20:23When all the patients
20:23scored in the score,
20:25we got results.
20:261, 2, 2,
20:276, or 6 scores
20:28we got these findings
20:30and we got to this conclusion
20:31that if we go to
20:33the British people
20:33or me and you
20:34if we go to the doctor
20:35then our calculator
20:38should be customized
20:39and indigenous
20:40So, yes,
20:42the models over there
20:44need modification
20:46when we apply
20:47to our population
20:48and this needs
20:48to be modified
20:49for the genes,
20:51for the demography,
20:52for the dietary habits
20:54and lifestyle
20:56behavior.
20:57So, why and how
20:58do Indian patients
20:59behave differently?
21:01We have always had
21:03sort of a dyslipidemia
21:04pattern where
21:05you know,
21:05the LDLs have been
21:07borderline normal
21:08to high normal
21:09high triglycerides
21:10and low LDLs
21:12and this sort of
21:13creates a lipid milieu
21:15which is
21:15which is extremely
21:16sort of atherogenic
21:18and to add to that
21:19we have a lot of
21:21insulin resistance
21:23primarily because
21:24of our
21:24phenotypes
21:26and that sort of
21:27is the core
21:27which sort of
21:28drives
21:29vascular events
21:30amongst Indians
21:31or Southeast Asians
21:32if I have to
21:33sort of
21:33look at the
21:34entire bracket.
21:35Well, what this
21:36study has found
21:37is that heart
21:38disease in Indians
21:39happen even
21:40much earlier
21:41the average age
21:42of about 54 years.
21:44It can develop
21:46even when the
21:46weight looks normal
21:47and cholesterol
21:49doesn't look alarming.
21:51We have
21:51much lower
21:53BMI cut-offs
21:54than our
21:54Western counterparts.
21:55We tend to have
21:57much more visceral
21:57fat so we are
21:58the so-called
21:59thin-fat Indians.
22:00And this
22:01abnormal
22:02dysfunctional
22:04adipose tissue
22:05or visceral fat
22:06abdominal fat
22:07epicardial
22:09adipose tissue
22:10all these
22:11visceral fat
22:12structures
22:12can be
22:13extremely harmful
22:14to us
22:14in the long run.
22:15Hidden
22:16metabolic problems
22:17insulin resistance
22:18early stage
22:19of diabetes
22:20higher diabetes
22:21risk
22:21even at
22:22normal weight
22:23is a major
22:24driver
22:25of our
22:26disease
22:26disease in India
22:27and it
22:28often goes
22:29undetected.
22:30diabetes
22:32you know
22:33the cardiovascular
22:33risk increases
22:35many fold.
22:36So patients
22:37who have got
22:37cardiovascular disease
22:38with or without
22:40diabetes
22:40you know
22:41they have a
22:42different risk
22:42profile.
22:43So yes
22:44insulin resistance
22:45plays an important
22:45role and
22:46that's why
22:47diabetes need to be
22:48treated
22:49aggressively
22:50you know
22:51in all patients
22:52who have got
22:53cardiovascular disease.
22:54Misleading
22:55cholesterol
22:56profile
22:56typical expectation
22:58is high LDL
22:59which means
23:00danger
23:01but in Indians
23:02LDL may
23:03actually look
23:04okay
23:05but low HDL
23:07good cholesterol
23:08or high
23:09triglycerides
23:10can be
23:11overlooked.
23:12Remember
23:13this combination
23:14is dangerous
23:15but often
23:16underestimated
23:17by standard
23:18tests.
23:19So if you look
23:20at the western
23:20population
23:21LDL is something
23:22that drives
23:22atherosclerosis
23:23or blockages
23:25or cholesterol
23:25deposition in
23:26arteries.
23:27We have a lot
23:27of triglyceridemia
23:28which is again
23:29sort of a marker
23:31of insulin
23:32resistance
23:32or it is
23:33secondary to
23:33insulin resistance
23:34and we have
23:35low HDL
23:37which is
23:38responsible for
23:38the reverse
23:39cholesterol
23:40transfer.
23:41Unfortunately
23:41most of the
23:42guidelines that
23:43we follow
23:43all across the
23:44globe do not
23:45address this
23:45particular situation.
23:46Hidden fat
23:47problem
23:48even if BMI
23:49is normal.
23:50Many Indians
23:51have visceral fat
23:52which is fat
23:53around the organs
23:54especially
23:55abdominal fat.
23:56This is far
23:58more dangerous
23:58than visible fat
24:00and BMI
24:01doesn't really
24:02catch it.
24:03We tend to have
24:04lower BMI
24:05as compared to
24:06western counterparts
24:07but higher
24:08visceral fat
24:09so we have
24:10more abdominal
24:11obesity
24:12so you know
24:14measuring the
24:14waist circumference
24:15is very important.
24:17Also the waist
24:18to height ratio
24:18can be important
24:19in us
24:20as Indians
24:21and these two
24:22parameters should
24:23also be added
24:24to the definition
24:25of somebody being
24:26called an obese
24:27individual.
24:30Well Indians
24:31can actually
24:32have serious
24:32heart attack
24:33risk without
24:34looking unhealthy
24:35because the
24:37risk is more
24:38internal.
24:39Inside us
24:40it's not that
24:41tests are useless
24:42it's just that
24:43they're not
24:43designed for how
24:45Indian bodies
24:45actually work.
24:48So what are
24:49the exact
24:50blood tests
24:51and scans
24:51that actually
24:52detect this
24:53hidden risk?
24:55Generally you
24:56know we do
24:56annual head
24:58screen which
24:59is also called
24:59as comprehensive
25:00cardiac checkup
25:01CCC.
25:02CCC basically
25:03comprises of
25:04blood tests
25:05to see for the
25:06function of the
25:07different organs
25:08body organs
25:09vital organs
25:10and also it
25:11does ECG
25:12and echocardiogram
25:14if there is
25:15anything
25:16suspicious
25:18is observed.
25:19The tests
25:20that you can
25:21accurately do
25:22can be say
25:23body composition
25:24scales
25:24analysis
25:25it can be
25:27a DEXA
25:27scan
25:29nowadays
25:30there is
25:31very interesting
25:31development of
25:32what is known
25:33as an ultra
25:33low dose CT
25:35scans
25:35which look at
25:36the visceral fat
25:37and are able
25:38to quantify
25:39how much is
25:40the visceral fat
25:41in the entire
25:43thorax or in
25:44the abdomen.
25:44So in the
25:45entire thoraco
25:45abdominal area
25:46they can calculate
25:47the visceral fat
25:47for you.
25:48MRIs can be
25:49handy especially
25:50for you know
25:51quantifying the
25:52liver fat
25:52or so called
25:54the osteototic
25:55liver disease
25:56or fatty liver
25:56disease as we
25:57used to call it
25:57earlier.
25:58well that brings us
25:59to the end of this
26:00edition of health
26:01360 you can
26:02catch these
26:02reports and
26:03much more
26:03going up on
26:04our website
26:04that's
26:04indiatoday.in
26:06you can download
26:07the app as well
26:08all of your
26:08net today's
26:08social media
26:09platforms
26:09carry these
26:10reports
26:11that's
26:11youtube
26:11instagram
26:12facebook
26:13and twitter
26:14or
26:14xr hashtag
26:15is health
26:16360
26:17until next time
26:18take very good
26:19care of yourself
26:19thank you for
26:20watching
26:20bye for now
26:21you
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