Russian teenagers are falling victim to a dangerous TikTok-fueled weight-loss trend involving an illegal pill called “Molecule” that contains sibutramine, a substance banned in the US, UK, and EU since 2010 due to fatal cardiovascular risks.
The crisis has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least three schoolchildren requiring emergency medical treatment after overdosing on the unregulated pills marketed with promises of rapid weight loss.
The Viral TikTok Phenomenon
The blue-boxed pills emblazoned with holograms and “Molecule Plus” labels exploded across Russian TikTok earlier this year, flooding young users’ feeds with seductive slogans like “Take Molecule and forget food exists” and “Do you want to be the slimmest in the class in oversized clothes?”.
Teenagers documented their “weight-loss journeys” across social media platforms as orders surged through online pharmacies and private retailers, with the pills often disguised as “sports nutrition” or even “muesli” to evade detection.
The hashtag #Molecule continues spreading across TikTok despite mounting evidence of severe health consequences.
Hospitalizations and Severe Side Effects
Maria, a 22-year-old from St. Petersburg, purchased Molecule from a well-known online retailer and began taking two pills daily. Within two weeks, she experienced complete loss of appetite, severe dehydration, and debilitating anxiety.
“I had no desire to eat or even drink. It made me anxious—I was biting my lips and chewing my cheeks,” Maria told the BBC. “These pills had a substantial impact on my mental state”.
Other users reported alarming symptoms including dilated pupils, tremors, insomnia, hallucinations, and panic attacks.
In April 2025, a schoolgirl from Chita, Siberia, was hospitalized after overdosing on Molecule while attempting to lose weight quickly for summer. Another mother shared with local media that her daughter was placed in intensive care after ingesting multiple pills at once.
A 13-year-old boy from St. Petersburg required medical attention after suffering hallucinations and panic attacks; he had reportedly requested a friend to purchase the pills due to bullying about his weight.
The Banned Ingredient: Sibutramine
Investigations by Russian newspaper Izvestiya revealed that Molecule pills contain sibutramine, a substance once used as an antidepressant and later marketed as a weight-loss medication.
Sibutramine suppresses appetite by affecting neurotransmitter reuptake in the brain, but clinical studies demonstrated it significantly increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The drug was banned in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and China in 2010 following cardiovascular safety concerns. In Russia, sibutramine remains legally available only under prescription for obesity treatment, making the over-the-counter sale of Molecule completely illegal.
Why Russian Teens Continue Buying Despite Dangers
Despite the serious health risks, Molecule remains extraordinarily popular among Russian youth due to a massive price disparity compared to legitimate weight-loss medications.
A 20-day supply of Molecule costs approximately £6-7 ($8-9 or ₹700), compared to FDA-approved medications like Ozempic, which cost between £40-160 ($50-210 or ₹4,660-24,470) per month in Russia.
“For young buyers, especially students and teenagers, the cheaper choice feels like the smarter one,” health analysts note.
Social media amplification plays a critical role, with influencers showcasing dramatic “transformations” that make the results appear quick and harmless, even as some creators post warnings about severe side effects.
Regulatory Crackdown and Rebranding Tactics
Russian authorities have removed some online listings and cracked down on illegal sales, but vendors quickly adapted by relaunching similar products under new names like “Atom” to evade restrictions.
The production source remains unclear, with sellers claiming links to China, Germany, or Kazakhstan.
Tests continue to reveal these rebranded pills contain the same banned sibutramine that makes Molecule so dangerous.
Expert Warnings and Broader Drug Crisis Context
This crisis emerges against the backdrop of Russia’s larger teenage substance abuse epidemic, with experts warning of a “lost generation” amid surging synthetic drug use.
“Simply put, they promise the same results without the science or the safety,” medical experts warn.
Maria, now recovered from her Molecule experience, actively warns others on social media: “These pills made me sick. They’re dangerous“.
Health authorities emphasize that teenage bodies are particularly vulnerable to sibutramine’s cardiovascular effects, with dependence developing rapidly and potentially fatal consequences without intervention.
The Bottom Line
The Molecule crisis highlights the dangerous intersection of social media influence, body image pressures, economic inequality, and inadequate pharmaceutical regulation, with Russian teenagers paying the price through hospitalizations, addiction, and potentially permanent health damage.
