Online-Bought Imported Supplements Found to Be Fake, With MSM Missing and Enzyme Dosages Far Below Authentic Products

As more consumers purchase supplements through overseas direct buying, concerns are growing that caution is needed regarding counterfeit products. Counterfeits that are difficult to distinguish from genuine products based on appearance alone are being distributed, and analysis of their actual ingredients has confirmed cases in which the main ingredient was not detected or the amounts differed significantly from those in authentic products.

On the 23rd of last month, pharmacist YouTuber ‘Pharmacist Medicine Man TV’ released a video comparing two imported supplements purchased from Coupang with genuine products after sending them to a testing agency. The products tested were Doctor's Best’s ‘Digestive Enzymes’ and ‘MSM.’

◇MSM product found to contain no detectable MSM, with no disintegration
Testing found no MSM, the key ingredient, in the counterfeit MSM product. MSM was detected in the genuine product.

A difference also appeared in the disintegration test. The disintegration test checks whether a pill breaks down properly when placed in water and changes into a state that allows its active ingredients to be released. Pharmacist Jang Moo Hyun, who posted the video, said in a recent phone call with this newspaper, “Except in special cases, tablets generally need to disintegrate within 30 minutes, but unlike the genuine product, the counterfeit did not disintegrate.”

The counterfeit also differed from the genuine product in the ash test. Ash refers to the amount of inorganic substances and other material remaining after a product is completely burned. About 60% of the counterfeit remained as ash, while less than 1% of the genuine product did. Pharmacist Jang raised the possibility that an excipient other than MSM had been used, but said, “It is difficult to know exactly what raw material was used without additional analysis.”

◇Digestive enzyme product also showed differences in content
Differences in ingredients were also confirmed in the counterfeit ‘Digestive Enzymes’ product. When amylase was compared among several digestive enzymes, about 5,000 units were detected in the counterfeit, while about 10 million units were detected in the genuine product. About 45,000 units of protease were detected in the genuine product, whereas none was detected in the counterfeit.

Pharmacist Jang said he had purchased and tested more than 10 supplements suspected of being counterfeit in addition to the products revealed in the video. He said, “I purchased and tested products from such sellers more than 10 times, and every single one was counterfeit.” However, these were cases that Pharmacist Jang personally purchased and verified, and this does not mean that all imported supplements sold online are counterfeit.

Fake supplements require caution not only because consumers may fail to ingest the ingredients they expected, but also because their raw materials and manufacturing processes are unclear. Pharmacist Jang said he had received reports of stomach discomfort or elevated liver enzyme levels after people took counterfeit products, but added, “A clear causal relationship between the fake supplements and those symptoms has not been confirmed.”

If you purchased a product suspected of being counterfeit, it is advisable to stop taking it and request a refund. Pharmacist Jang said, “If you do not have any particular health problems, there is no need to be overly concerned, but if symptoms such as fatigue or digestive problems appear, it is advisable to see a doctor.”

◇Check the ‘seller’ before the exterior 
Because counterfeits can be made as precisely as the packaging and pill shapes, it is difficult to determine whether a product is genuine based on its appearance alone. Pharmacist Jang advised consumers to check seller information before purchasing a product.

One method is to check the business name and representative listed below the product details page, as well as the actual shipping location. Pharmacist Jang explained that among counterfeit-selling cases he identified, some listed a representative with an English name of Chinese origin, while others were labeled as overseas direct-buy products even though no actual customs clearance records could be confirmed.

However, the seller’s name alone cannot establish whether a product is counterfeit. Legitimate overseas sellers may also use English names. The representative, shipping location, customs clearance information and other details should be examined together.

Products that are excessively cheap also require caution. However, not all counterfeits are significantly cheaper than genuine products, so consumers should not make a judgment based on price alone. Some counterfeits have also been found to contain labeling errors on silica gel packets. According to Pharmacist Medicine Man TV, a counterfeit imitating a well-known silica gel product incorrectly labeled ‘ODOR’ as ‘ODR.’ However, some genuine products do not include silica gel, so this cannot be regarded as an absolute standard.

Pharmacist Jang said that after inquiring with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety about the issue of counterfeit products purchased through overseas direct buying, he received a response to the effect that it is difficult to directly regulate overseas businesses selling food products that individuals voluntarily purchase from abroad, and that consumers are advised to buy products that have been officially imported and cleared through customs.

Meanwhile, counterfeit cases have been identified not only among imported products but also among domestic supplements. According to Pharmacist Medicine Man TV, a report of counterfeit products at a well-known domestic supplement company was received last May, and some products were found to differ from genuine products in ways such as minor typographical errors on packaging labels.