In fact, people are not able to believe how such a fit and beautiful Jariwala died suddenly. When reports started mentioning that Jariwala was taking anti-aging treatments, not only the media but even the general public started calling such beauty treatments wrong and harmful.

Famous model and actress Shefali Jariwala died suddenly last month, causing shock and concern among people. Jariwala, who became famous for the 'Kaanta Laga' music video in the 2000s, was very active about fitness, fashion and wellness and used to share her healthy lifestyle on social media. Some media reports revealed that she died after taking an anti-aging IV drip.

Since then, many questions have been raised about this type of therapy. This has created a fear in the minds of people about anti-aging supplements or IV nutrition. The question is, are anti-aging treatments really so harmful

According to functional nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, CEO and founder of Pune-based health and wellness platform iThrive , one needs to think patiently about this and get information based on facts. Of course, excessive use of any supplement or nutrition can be harmful, but if these things are used after proper examination, in the right quantity and at the right time, then it is beneficial and does not pose a threat to life.

What do functional nutrition experts say?

Functional nutrition experts believe that when the body lacks essential nutrients or toxins get accumulated in the body, it causes diseases. Nowadays, fruits and vegetables grow in soil that is low in nutrients. Food has mostly become processed (like packaged food), and due to constant stress, our digestive system has also become weak. Even people who eat well sensibly are found to be deficient in magnesium, zinc and B-vitamins. To understand what is lacking in the body and how much supplement should be given? The right way for this is lab tests, not Instagram videos. From this perspective, supplements are not external medicines, but a kind of central food rich in nutrition.

Getting IV therapy from an unprofessional place

Sometimes IV drips are given in places like beauty salons or pop-up clinics. In such places, the patient's medical history is not taken, no blood test is done and if there is any allergy (anaphylaxis) or electrolyte disturbance, there is no facility to handle it. Such clinics usually do not even ask for a certificate of analysis of the compound used in the IV.

Self-medication and social media competition

Advice like 'one pill fits all' ignores age, genes, digestion and ongoing medications. Taking supplements indiscriminately can also rob the body of other essential nutrients, interfere with blood thinners (anticoagulants) and hide serious underlying diseases.

Lack of regulations in India

India does not yet have uniform and strict regulations for IV therapy, quality of supplements, label accuracy and compounding (the process of making IVs). So we appeal to the Ministry of Health to make third party lab testing mandatory just like it is for blood products and allow such invasive therapies (like IV drips) to be done only in licensed medical centers.

Now compare this to the correct methods based on scientific evidence. When IV glutathione is given in functional medicine, it is usually for people who have oxidative stress (i.e. increased exposure to free radicals in the body), high liver or kidney load, or a specific metabolic problem. It is used based on medical diagnosis. The patient's liver and kidney blood tests are done before starting therapy. This IV therapy is then given in time bound cycles and is often followed by oral and supplements. Its dosage and duration is decided according to the individual's need, not based on social media trends or similar advice.

What could be the reason for Shefali's death?

Shefali Jariwala's death points to a major health problem, which is the rapid increase in sudden heart attack deaths among Indians aged 20 to 40. Recently, an online discussion by some leading functional medicine experts said that there could be many reasons behind these deaths, such as post-viral inflammation (such as post-Covid inflammation), exposure to toxic elements (such as air pollution, vaping, BPA plastic), nutritional deficiencies and increased internal inflammation without diagnosis. These problems can be detected by certain tests, such as Homocysteine, HS-CRP and D-dimer. Taking injections just to look young, but ignoring the real internal danger to the body is like painting a weak house from above.

What does functional medicine do?

Functional medicine first strengthens the foundation. We first do a proper examination of the body like CBC, Vitamin D, B-12, liver and kidney tests. Then we explain what the body needs and then give the right supplements so that the body can heal itself from within. In this way, the supplement becomes a properly functioning tool, not a 'magic pill'.

It is wrong to blame any one supplement

Blaming a celebrity's death on a supplement is easy and makes headlines, but it derails the real public health discussion that is needed in India. To prevent the harm caused by this and to spread the right information among the people, scientific rules and regulations should be made, people should be made aware of individual health needs, there should be coordination between cardiologists, toxicologists and functional nutrition experts. If all this is done, then supplements given in the right way can become the safest and cheapest way to prevent people from reaching the hospital. And perhaps this is the result Shefali Jariwala herself wanted.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It cannot in any way be a substitute for any medicine or treatment. Always contact your doctor for more information. NewsCrab does not take responsibility for its truth, accuracy and effectiveness.

PC:NBT