More than often we go to a chemist shop without doctor’s prescription hoping to solve an immediate health problem.
However, not all the products deserve your hard-earned money.
For this blog, I researched some chemist shop to find out the most commonly bought products by Indians.
After thoroughly researching these products, I have selected five products at the chemist shop which need your immediate attention.
I am highly impressed by a few of these products while others are simply a disaster.
In this blog, I will be unwrapping five products that need your attention at Pharmacy whose truth I think you should know about?
So, without any further delay let’s get started.
Before I reveal the products I want to assure that none of the brands of these products or their competitors has paid me.
Just like you, I am a consumer looking to buy genuine products for myself and my family.
Starting with #5 on the list is
Revital
Revital is among the largest sold supplements for daily vitamins and minerals.
But is it worth your hard-earned money? Let’s dig in.
To begin with, you should know that Revital is a non-vegetarian product, YES.
The outer shell of Revital capsules is made of the ingredient called gelatin.
Gelatin is flavourless, jelling agent derived from the collagen taken from animal body parts like skin, bones and connective tissues. Shocked?
Well, that’s the reality of this product and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Impressed by the long list of vitamins and minerals mentioned on its label, most people pop a pill or two on a daily basis without knowing from what they have been extracted.
Check the ingredients label.
The very first ingredient is peanut oil followed by minerals whose source is not mentioned.
Then comes food-grade gelatin which makes this product not suitable for vegetarians.
Bulking agent, humectant, vitamins again no source mentioned.
Ginseng root extract, emulsifier, hydrogenated vegetable oil, beeswax, preservatives synthetic food colours.
What do you think?
Can you ever get any health benefits from such ingredients?
I guess even Maggi has more ethics.
Also, the vitamins and minerals could be synthetically derived which do not get assimilated in the body.
This is the reason most people mindlessly pop these pills without actually getting any help from them.
Rather these capsules damage your body.
These companies hire a famous personality and promote these products has some panacea for health.
It’s high time we get aware of such malpractices.
Well, to get vitamins and minerals I would advise you to eat a variety of seasonal fruits in rotation throughout the week.
#4 on the list is –
Safi
Hamdard Safi is another popular product at the chemists’ shop claimed to purify the blood naturally.
Most people use it to reduce pimples to get clear and glowing skin.
The company even boasts off its 21 days Safi challenge.
So, is this product really worth the craze?
Going through its ingredients, I found that this internal detox formula is a part of Unani medicine.
Unani like Ayurveda is based on creating a balance between the five fundamental elements in the body.
In general, pimples is a result of excess heat in the body.
And if you closely go through the ingredients of Safi it comprises mostly of cooling herbs like Gulab and Sheesham.
When consumed appropriately it calms down any inflammation reducing the pimples.
The ingredients of Safi are 100% natural. thumbs up.
However, one should understand that Safi is just a promoter of blood purification and not a one-step solution.
What I mean is that if you are regularly eating hot spicy fried foods, smoking often, drinking too much tea, indulging in alcohol and then having Safi along it won’t help you much.
This is the reason it works magically for some while it doesn’t show any benefit to others.
A balanced lifestyle is the key to letting such medicines work.
Moreover, I recommend you to try Safi for a month or so and then stop for a while, do not let your body get used to it.
Overall Hamdard Safi is a great product.
#3 on the list is –
Glucon-D
Manufactured by Heinz, an American food processing company, Glucon-D is probably the most popular energy drink among Indians.
Although, is it safe? can it be consumed on a daily basis? is it a good Intra-workout drink?
To answer these questions let’s delve into the ingredients.
The regular version of Glucon-D is 99.4% glucose along with calcium phosphates as minerals and vitamin D2
Just three simple ingredients.
Basically, it’s glucose and we all that glucose is a simple sugar that provides energy.
One serving of Glucon-D is four teaspoons which will give you 31 grams of carbohydrates and these carbohydrates are coming from glucose.
The company recommends two servings on a daily basis.
But do we need it?
The straightforward answer is NO.
To understand this we must know that whatever food we eat, it gets converted into glucose for energy.
Eating three meals a day we get enough for the daily supply of glucose.
If we further supplement glucose with this drink daily it will be in excess which would ultimately get stored in the form of fat.
So, is Glucon-D a bad product? NO, it’s good.
But the trick lies in its intended use.
In my opinion, this energy booster is only meant for certain situations when you face a sudden loss of energy.
Be it a sunstroke or when you get down after puking or when you get unconscious due to low energy.
But strictly not for daily usage not in between workouts, neither it will help you gain muscle.
Consider going to a hospital in getting a drip of glucose daily.
Does it make any sense?
Exactly this product is just a replacement for such rare situations.
And I guess I need not tell you why you should stay away from the flavoured versions of Glucon-D which are not even 100% glucose, but sugar along with artificial flavours and colours.
#2 on the list are –
Strepsils
When we are down with sore throat, cold or cough, we look for instant relief from that uncomfortable feeling.
Most of us tend to get our hands on the easily available and convenient Strepsils.
But are they really good for you?
Each tablet of Strepsils consists of 2,4 dichloro benzyl alcohol and Amylmetacresol BP.
The two effective modern medical drugs to kill pathogenic microorganisms, causing acute sore throat due to upper respiratory tract infection.
Although, what concerns me are the other ingredients, which have just been added to improve the aesthetics of this pill.
Mainly this petroleum-derived synthetic sunset yellow colour and artificial orange flavouring which may have serious side effects.
Even Vicks has artificial ingredients.
This is why I recommend a better alternative which is also present at the same chemist shop.
Hamdard Sualin, prepared solely from age-old herbs like Mulethi, tulsi and Dalchini, it is a much better option.
Remember your grandma giving you a stick of Mulethi when you had cuff issues or making a Herbal Kadha for you to calm down any throat infection.
Well nothing like it, but you can consider Sualin close to a packaged version of it.
So, the next time when you are down with cold or cough instead of Strepsils or Vicks, just keep a few tablets of Sualin handy with you.
Finally, the #1 product at the chemists’ shop that needs your attention is
Kayam Churna
Kayam Churna is among the prominent products used by Indians to treat constipation and other digestive issues.
It is an ayurvedic product made solely out of herbs, but does that mean it can be consumed daily without harm? NO.
This is because the major ingredient of Kayam Churna is Senna leaves which are a stimulant laxative.
Stimulant laxatives are fast-acting laxatives that induce bowel movements by increasing the contraction of muscles in the intestines and are effective only when used on a short-term basis.
But, if you start using them on a regular basis it can result in developing a laxative habit by weakening the intestines even further.
So, Kayam Churna is an effective medicine to provide a sudden push to your digestive system if you use it only for a few days when you are facing the problem.
Consuming it daily will just damage your digestive system even further.
It should be noted that Kayam Churna is not recommended for pregnant women, as it may cause bleeding due to its hot potency ingredients.
Definitely a great product in the market, just use it wisely.
So, friends, these were the five products available at the chemists’ shop which I felt needed your immediate attention.
As you saw some of these products are made for your well-being, but many people are using them with unintended purpose.
While some have seriously disappointed us with Revital getting the trophy for one of the worst products and the chemist’s shop.
I hope you found this article to be helpful, if yes, then do share this article.