A man in his 20s has sadly lost his life after taking illegal slimming pills loaded with a highly toxic chemical known as Dinitrophenol (DNP).
DNP is commonly used as antiseptic and pesticide, and has also been used as precursor to other chemicals in some explosives.
DNP was used as diet aid back in the 1930s, but was soon banned due to its toxicity. It works by accelerating the body’s metabolism to dangerous levels, which can trigger fatal effects. A number of deaths worlwide have been linked to DNP ingestion, either by accident or deliberately.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and Gardai are investigating the circumstances surrounding the young man’s death, and are looking into his internet search history patterns to try and determine where he obtained the product.