Shioka effervescent tablets are not a cure for uterine fibroids

Claim: Shioka effervescent tablets can cure uterine fibroids without having surgery.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Multiple Facebook pages are selling this product and making false cure claims. As of writing, a Facebook video posted last February 9 containing this claim gained more than 1,500 reactions, 685 comments, and more than 150,000 views.

The bottom line: According to the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (US NICHD), the only and current cure for fibroids is hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus. There are also other methods of treating fibroids such as radiological methods and medications, though this will depend on the symptoms and diagnosis of a doctor.

Made of ginseng: Shioka effervescent tablets are being advertised as a cure for uterine fibroids. These tablets are made of saponin ginseng and “other herbs.” While ginseng does not pose any harmful effects, it is not recommended for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. 

People taking diabetes medications should monitor their ginseng consumption. Ginseng may also reduce the effectiveness of anticoagulant drugs.

What the health experts say: Uterine fibroids are “noncancerous tumors.” These are “noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years.” There are also different types of fibroids, depending on location where they develop.

• Treatment: Treatment of this illness can vary, depending on the size of the fibroid, number, location, as well as the symptoms being experienced by a patient. Health experts suggest that if a patient is not experiencing any symptoms, treatment may not be needed. 

• Medications: Some common medical treatments for uterine fibroids are pain medicine, birth control pills, intrauterine contraception (IUC), Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa), and selective progesterone receptor modulators.

• Other methods for treatment: Radiological methods such as endometrial ablation and magnetic resonance imaging–guided focused ultrasound can also be used in treating uterine fibroids. Uterine artery embolization and myomectomy can also be an option.

What the government says: Last July 11, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued FDA Advisory No. 2022-1260 that warned the public against purchasing and consuming Shioka effervescent tablets. This food supplement is not regulated by the FDA. – Erick Prynze Sazon/Rappler.com

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