Posted by By Paul Dada on
As the fasting period continues, muslims have increased their demand for blood tonic, multi-vitamins and pain relief drugs.
As the fasting period continues, muslims have increased their demand for blood tonic, multi-vitamins and pain relief drugs.
In the course of P.M.News investigation, chemists, medical doctors and Islamic clerics confirmed that there is a higher demand for these drugs during the month of ramadan. Tunji Abiola, a pharmacist at the popular Juli Pharmacy in Ikeja, said the possibility of a higher demand for multi-vitamins cannot be ruled out. He observed that recently multi-vitamins were out of stock.
He said this could be a pointer to the fact that multi-vitamins are in higher demand during this fasting period. 'It is not strange that people are demanding for multi-vitamins. Most of them are probably youths that are active.' Abiola, however, warned ulcer patients to be wary of fasting as it can affect them negatively.
Another pharmacist, Ariyibi Busuyi, a staff of the popular Boluke Pharmacy in Agege, said there is a higher demand for blood tonic such as Deddems, Astymyn and Daravite.
'Our customers complain of their tendency to lose weight during fasting. Hence, they demand for blood tonic in order to avoid the loss of weight,' he said.
Sunday Ayereti of Lily Medicine Store, Abule-Egba, said his Muslim customers normally demand for blood tonic as they are afraid that fasting can make them lose weight. He said it was their belief that the blood tonic would keep them fresh. He added that demand for the pain reliever, Novalgin, has also risen.
P.M.News checks at other pharmacies in Lagos confirmed that there is a higher demand for blood tonic, multi-vitamins and pain relief drugs during the Ramadan. A medical doctor at the Family Medicine Department of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Dr. Gbolahan Abideen, said it is possible that fasting makes people lose weight.
'When an individual fasts, what happens metabolically is that the glucose goes down. The body will now use up the fat. This can lead to loss of weight.' He said the demand for multi-vitamins is to help arrest the loss of weight during fasting.
He, however, said that there is no wisdom in demanding for pain relief drugs where there is no need for it. He said that an abuse of pain relief medicine can lead to renal failure. He also advised hypertensive and ulcer patients to keep away from fasting.
According to Abideen, fasting is not recommended by medical practitioners, but people who have health problems are advised to modify their eating habits. Dr. Mudashiru Adebisi Rahman, the Medical Director of Hankab Hospital, Abule-Egba, a muslim, said the demand for blood tonic or pain relievers depend on an individual.
'It depends on individuals. Those who do field work during the fasting period would have pains. That explains the demand for pain relief drugs. But those whose secular engagements keep them in one place do not demand such drugs,' he said. He said fasting does not necessarily cause pain, adding that Ramadan is a blessing. He further stated that fasting can help the digestive system.
'Statistically, during ramadan, people see less of illnesses. They are healthier. The cases of mortality are reduced. This is because those who eat junk food, feed from filthy eating places and take alcohol, normally abstain during the fasting period,' he said. He added that there was no need to take blood tonic during the season as those who do so don't fasting routinely.
Another medical doctor, Dr. Vincent Aguah, said the way Muslims fast cannot cause any health problems. An Islamic cleric, Alhaji Popoola Abdul Rahman Taiwo, who is the Chief Imam of Shamsideen Al-Islamiyya (Agege Central), confirmed that is true that muslims demand for multi-vitamins and blood tonic during the month of Ramadan. He, however, pointed out that those who do so are ignorant of the implications of fasting.
'When one is fasting, it does not give pain, it relieves, it heals. Many people who take multi-vitamins do so because of the belief that the medicine will give them a stronger appetite when they want to eat. They erroneously believe that after abstaining from food for sometime, they will lose the appetite for food.
'But what the health (collection of the sayings of Prophet Mohammed) prescribes is to take fruit when one breaks their fast,' he said.