FUNMILAYO AREMU reviews that many individuals on the road love natural drinks to a fault, regardless of the attendant well being implications, at the same time as medical personnel warn that those that patronise the drinks ought to be careful and even keep away from them altogether.
In a rustic like Nigeria the place the vast majority of the inhabitants lives beneath poverty line, entry to good medical care may be very low. Thus the love for various drugs is so excessive, mainly not solely as a result of the components are pure but in addition as a result of they’re comparatively cheaper than orthodox drugs and extra inexpensive. In response to the World Well being Organisation, between 70 and 80 per cent of Africans rely both completely or partially on conventional or various drugs.
Moreover, natural drugs guarantees treatment for a variety of illnesses and is perceived as efficacious by those that patronise it for diseases resembling pile abdomen ache, malaria, decrease again ache, menstrual ache, diabetes, hypertension, gonorrhea, rest room infections and pile, amongst a number of others. Nevertheless, it seems that what pursuits many males probably the most is the natural medicines that declare to treatment erectile dysfunction, enhance low sperm depend and males’s sexual efficiency, amongst others. To make the natural drinks enticing they’re typically packaged in plastic bottles and given some suggestive names.
Investigations by Sunday Tribune reveal that these branded natural drinks are made with honey, plain water, handled water, alcohol, ethanol and different components with botanical names resembling terminalia laxiflora, zingiber officinate, roots and leaves of aloe vera, ivorensis, rhubarb root, caramel syrup and different herbs.
Additional investigations present that a few of these branded natural mixtures have the Nationwide Company for Meals and Drug Administration and Management (NAFDAC) numbers on them. Nevertheless, a search on the web site of the drug company confirmed that most of the natural merchandise weren’t listed on its database. The NAFDAC registration numbers printed on these merchandise had been additionally found to be faux.
Why we use it?
Sunday Tribune investigations reveal that many individuals devour natural drinks each day throughout the nation not caring concerning the manufacturing course of, however solely their perceived efficacy. It was additionally found that extra males devour natural drinks than girls.
A gaggle of shoppers, it was revealed, use the natural drinks mainly for cleansing and nothing else. A kind of who belong to this group is Jamiu Olatoke, an okada rider. In response to him, “I’m conscious that different folks use it for various functions, however I solely use it for pile, (jedi jedi).
Perry Throughout, an Abuja-based freelance journalist, additionally mentioned he typically makes use of the natural medicines to detoxify his physique, however his expertise is that not all of them are good for consumption. On a sure event, he had abdomen upset after consuming one of many drinks.
“The explanation I exploit these bitters is to detox when I’ve consumed quite a lot of sugary stuff. And it really works as a result of I often know I’ve an excessive amount of sugar in my system when my butt gap begins to itch. It clears instantly after taking one of many natural drinks.
“I keep in mind taking a kind of (natural drinks) in Lagos as soon as and I had a nasty tummy ache which made me doubt if the business is correctly regulated. There are such a lot of of them and you’ll suspect from the poor packaging,” he acknowledged.
In response to Adenike Adeleke, a hairdresser, she makes use of the drink for pile and abdomen ache which helps her to move stool simply and which in flip makes her really feel gentle. She mentioned: “I exploit these drinks for pile and abdomen ache. Generally it helps me move stool simply. I even learnt that some girls who enter into menopause early can use it and their circulate will come again. It is vitally environment friendly. Works like magic.”
Ayedun Oluwaseyi, a businessman and Mr Dele Odunayo, a Human Assets personnel spoke glowingly concerning the natural drugs’s efficacy in boosting their sexual efficiency. Oluwaseyi mentioned he takes natural drinks “to spice up my vitality when performing within the different room; the ladies I’ve been with can all testify to its efficacy. It’s that good.” Ayedun on his personal half mentioned: “I exploit one specific one; it’s a very efficient aphrodisiac, at any time when I exploit it; I can go three to 4 rounds on my girl and I gained’t get drained in any respect.”
Whereas natural drinks has its trustworthy shoppers, others keep away from it like a plague. Considered one of such folks is Reuben Okunlade, a trainer who advised Sunday Tribune that he doesn’t imagine in what folks say concerning the efficacy of natural drugs because it might have unwanted side effects that even the producers are unaware of.
He mentioned: “I don’t imagine in these drinks. Many individuals simply use it with out even pondering of how they’re made or the place they’re made. I’m very cautious about what I put in my mouth. I don’t simply take something. I’m not discrediting those who drink it or its producers, however it isn’t simply my factor. I worth my well being an excessive amount of.”
Tunde Akinlade, a pupil additionally keep away from the natural drinks preferring to make his personal drinks if the necessity arises. In response to him, “Each time I’m ailing, I make my concoctions myself. I am going to the market, purchase the components and put them collectively as a result of I don’t belief the individuals who make these agbo (natural concoctions). I don’t know what sort of water they used; I don’t know in the event that they washed their herbs nicely…So, I make my very own natural drinks for private consumption.”
Producers communicate
Sunday Tribune spoke to the producers of among the branded natural mixtures, together with the regionally made ones. One of many firms who produce natural mixtures reveals that their merchandise are made by conventional drugs specialists. They declare that the components used within the making of the merchandise usually are not dangerous to the physique and haven’t any unwanted side effects, because the concoctions are made with pure herbs and have been authorized by NAFDAC.
A natural concoction vendor who gave her title as Mama Tobi advised Sunday Tribune that she produces the product herself. She mentioned: “I inherited the information of conventional drugs from my grandmother who was a well-liked agbo vendor. My merchandise by no means fail; I take nice care in producing them and it is vitally efficient as I even get referrals from my common prospects.
“I exploit pure herbs and clear them very nicely earlier than producing my drinks. I’ve herbs for each ailment: pile, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, low sperm depend, malaria, typhoid, miscarriage and impotence, amongst others.”
Specialists communicate
The Chief Guide, Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon, Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, Dr Ganiyu Aremu, spoke with Sunday Tribune on the advantages and downsides of natural concoctions together with potential accidents to private well being.
“They’re all gradual poisons; some are even speedy poisons,” he mentioned, including that: “many are product of excessive focus of alcohol with some herbs which content material the individuals who put them collectively don’t know. They’re fast to level out that every one herbs are medicinal. Whereas this can be true to some extent, they don’t know the energetic ingredient in what they’re giving folks to drink.
“Herbs include many molecules; some are useful whereas some are dangerous. Many are horrible alkaloids that may harm the kidneys, the liver and different organs of the physique. However the promoters of this stuff don’t have the capability to know which of them are useful and which of them are dangerous. Even the useful molecules in these herbs have the restrict past which their results develop into dangerous.
“The excessive price of kidney and liver illnesses are traceable to a few of these merchandise. A few of them additionally include excessive concentrations of alcohol with all its attendant results; on the liver, liver illness; on the mind, mind harm.
“I might suggest that every one natural merchandise ought to be subjected to evaluation to find out the efficacy and the security of those merchandise; each quick and long-term adversarial results. Those which can be confirmed to be of profit must also be made to endure managed scientific trials to scientifically verify the efficacy and the security.”
Dapo Egunjobi, a medical physician on the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State, additionally raised some questions as regards the efficiency and validity of claims made on such natural merchandise.
“There are questions we have to ask as nicely. Medication relies on science and in the end analysis. Research are performed over time to verify the efficacy of medicines and remedy of illnesses. Many issues are put into consideration together with the supply of such medicines or medication, scientific trials performed on them and analysis.
“Have the herbs been examined scientifically? How many individuals have used such herbs, together with the outcomes seen? What are the potential unwanted side effects? What amount was used? How was it measured? What’s the dosage, primarily based on age or intercourse? What temperature is efficient for the storage of these herbs? The individuals who used it: what was it used to deal with? Had been they monitored for unwanted side effects or issues?
“Herbs in its pure self just isn’t dangerous. Many medication are constructed from herbs. Nevertheless, some are blended with different harmful chemical substances which may harm the kidneys, liver and coronary heart. The potential of their effectiveness can solely be confirmed scientifically within the laboratory when they’re subjected to some requirements,” Dr Egunjobi defined.
Physician Temitope Adedayo of the College School Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, submitted that natural drinks could be dangerous to the well being when they aren’t standardised and when they aren’t scientifically confirmed to be secure and wholesome for consumption.
“Natural drinks could be dangerous to well being and the reason being that they’re often not standardised of their preparation and the utilization is often not well-titrated additionally. Plus, they often include impurities. I can›t say particularly for sure merchandise. I have no idea in the event that they treatment the illnesses listed on them. I’ve no examine on them. I, nevertheless, know that natural concoctions could be efficient towards illnesses. They, most occasions, simply have to be extra researched into and the preparation higher fine-tuned.
“In a scenario the place a person consumes these natural concoction in giant portion, there are possibilities that the kidney and the liver can be broken as they’re often the organs that undergo probably the most when they’re loaded with an excessive amount of natural concoction,” he mentioned.
In a latest report, the Director-Common of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, mentioned most natural concoctions which can be being hawked on the streets and in buses lack correct storage and ought to be prevented due to the uncertainty of its supply.
In response to her, the liquid natural concoction grows micro organism after 4 or 5 days, which is harmful to the well being of its shoppers. She, nevertheless, famous that buyers ought to be certain that the product they devour should have handed NAFDAC’s security and efficacy check.
Regardless of these observations and warnings nevertheless, it isn’t doubtless that ardent lovers of natural drinks could take warning and even abandon their favorite natural drinks altogether. The truth, as found by Sunday Tribune is that the patrons are hooked on the natural drinks and even go round with them.