Molecule, a pill promising rapid weight loss, went viral on Russian TikTok earlier this year.
Young people's feeds started filling up with captions like 'Take Molecule and forget food exists,' and 'Do you want to sit in the back of the class in oversized clothes?'
Clips showed fridges lined with blue boxes featuring holograms and 'Molecule Plus' labels.
The orders began piling in, as teenagers shared their 'weight-loss journeys' on social media.
But there was a catch.
Maria, 22, had purchased the pill from a popular online retailer. She took two pills per day and, after two weeks, says her mouth dried up and she completely lost her appetite.
I had absolutely no desire to eat, let alone drink. I was nervous. I was constantly biting my lips and chewing my cheeks, she said.
Maria developed severe anxiety and began having negative thoughts. These pills were having a profound effect on my psyche, she added.
Other TikTok users reported symptoms like dilated pupils, tremors, and insomnia. Tragically, at least three schoolchildren have ended up in the hospital.
In April, a schoolgirl in Chita, Siberia, needed hospital care after overdosing on Molecule while trying to lose weight for the summer. Her mother described how another girl in intensive care took several pills at once.
In May, a 13-year-old boy from St Petersburg was hospitalized after experiencing hallucinations and panic attacks, reportedly after requesting a friend to buy him the pill due to school bullying about his weight.
The packaging for Molecule pills often lists natural ingredients like dandelion root and fennel seed extract. However, tests from the Russian newspaper Izvestiya revealed that the pills actually contained sibutramine, a substance banned in multiple countries.
Sibutramine was initially marketed as an antidepressant in the 1980s and later as an appetitive suppressant. Studies ultimately found that it elevated the risk of heart attacks and strokes while only slightly aiding weight loss. It was banned in the US in 2010.
In Russia, while a prescription is needed for its use in treating obesity, sibutramine is still sold illegally in higher doses through various online platforms, costing a fraction of legitimate treatments.
Endocrinologist Ksenia Solovieva warns that unregulated self-administration is perilous, especially considering the uncertainty regarding the dosage in capsules sold online. We do not know how much of the active ingredient such 'dietary supplements' may contain, she cautioned.
Authorities face challenges in curbing the sale of Molecule, as many young people find ways to bypass regulations. Lawmakers recently enacted measures to block the sale of unregistered supplements, yet sellers are rebranding as 'sports nutrition' to continue distribution.
Despite its dangers, Molecule remains a popular choice among the youth on social media, as influencers and online communities keep promoting the pill, often using coded language to evade censorship.
Maria now discourages others from using the pills and actively warns teenagers of their dangers. However, with its popularity on platforms like TikTok showing no signs of waning, the risk remains significant.
