Dexamethasone is being used as weight gain drug by Nigerians
Dexamethasone is a drug used in the management of severe COVID-19 infection.
Now, health care providers in Nigeria have warned members of the public to avoid the unethical use of the drug.
The drug is a type of corticosteroid medication that is used in the treatment of many conditions, including rheumatic problems, a number of skin diseases, severe allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, croup, brain swelling, eye pain following eye surgery, and along with antibiotics in tuberculosis management.
As a steroid, it comes with multiple side effects such as weight gain, when abused, according to medical experts.
The World Health Organisation revealed in June that the drug was tested among patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in the United Kingdom’s national clinical trial recovery and was found to have benefits for critically ill patients.
WHO said,
“According to preliminary findings shared with WHO, for patients on ventilators, the treatment was shown to reduce mortality by about one third; and for patients requiring only oxygen, mortality was cut by about one fifth.”
The United Nations agency added,
“WHO is in the process of updating treatment guidelines to include Dexamethasone or other steroids.”
The latest discovery in Nigeria is that dexamethasone is being abused by some Nigerians as a means to gain weight.
At a pharmacy in Lagos State, a drug attendant said that it is called ‘yodi’
(buttocks enhancer) and ‘mawu mawu’ (weight enhancer) by those seeking to use it for weight gain purposes.
He revealed that the pharmacy does not dispense the drug without doctor’s prescription and stated that the drug is “popular among teenagers and young ladies who are desperate to gain weight.”
To know how you have gain weight, click on the link below:
Be the first to comment