Vinpocetine, bacopa, citicoline, and lycopodium are some examples of pharmaceutical drugs detected.

These ingredients, being regulated as pharmaceutical drugs in South Korea, cannot be used in food supplements, said South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).

Elsewhere, however, these ingredients could be used as both pharmaceutical drugs or for use in supplements.

Vinpocetine is one such example.

While it is used for treating stroke and dementia​, it is also available in certain markets as a dietary supplement to enhance cognition and memory.

The MFDS, on the other hand, has raised concerns on how vinpocetine was known for causing side effects such as headaches, insomnia, miscarriage, or foetal development disorders when overdosed without a professional prescription. 

“These ingredients are either prescription drug ingredients that require a doctor’s prescription or ingredients that cannot be used as food ingredients,”​ said the MFDS.

These cases came to light when the MFDS was conducting an inspection of health supplements sold online.

The inspection covered 3,629 products, with information on the product name, manufacturer, presence of hazardous ingredients, and product photos placed under scrutiny.

The aim was to detect the presence of ingredients that fall in the List of Hazardous Foods for Overseas Direct Purchase.

As a result, 19 supplements were found to contain ingredients found in the list.

The MFDS has since requested the Korea Customs Services to withhold customs clearance for these supplements.