Summary of Key Points
This news article focuses on "nutritional injections" and highlights three main issues: First, these injections were originally designed as medical treatments for patients who are unable to eat or absorb nutrients properly (such as cancer patients), but they have been marketed by businesses as "health supplements" that claim to combat fatigue, slow down aging, and nourish the body. Second, in South Korea, due to societal competition and burnout, they have become a popular way for workers and exam candidates to quickly regain their energy. Third, some domestic institutions have also started promoting these injections, but CCTV has exposed issues such as excessive dosages, lack of evidence supporting their claims, and potential safety risks, suggesting that they are essentially exploiting people's health anxieties for financial gain.
The Transformation of Nutritional Injections from Medical Treatments to Consumer Products
Medically, nutritional injections refer to the administration of high-concentration vitamins and minerals directly into the bloodstream, primarily for patients who cannot eat or absorb nutrients (for example, cancer patients who have lost their appetite after chemotherapy). However, businesses have rebranded them as "health services" accessible to the general public:
- Exotic Names: In South Korea, they are called things like "Cinderella injections" (implying beauty benefits) or "garlic injections" (because they contain vitamin B1 with a garlic-like smell). In China, they are marketed as "blood-nourishing drips" or "liver-protecting drips," giving them more of a consumer product vibe than a medical treatment.
- Exaggerated Claims: They are advertised as having anti-fatigue, anti-aging, and immune-boosting effects, even claiming to treat myocarditis, although experts cited by CCTV have stated that these claims lack scientific evidence.
- High Prices: In China, the cost ranges from over 100 yuan to 3600 yuan per injection, while in South Korea, it costs around 300 yuan and is not covered by health insurance—turning a medical service into a form of luxury consumption.
The Popularity of Nutritional Injections in South Korea: A Tool for Coping with Burnout
The widespread use of nutritional injections in South Korea reflects a broader culture of burnout:
- Who Uses Them? Workers (to recover quickly after staying up late or working overtime), exam candidates (to stay alert before exams), and mothers (due to chronic fatigue).
- Fantastical Scenarios: Training institutions and clinics are located in the same buildings, allowing students to go back to class immediately after receiving injections. In the movie "Little Princess," a white-collar worker takes an injection during a lunch break while answering a boss's call.
- Media Commentary: South Korean media describe them as "energy injections" for people struggling with burnout, suggesting that they are more of a psychological comfort than a real remedy.
Domestic Nutritional Injections in China: Avoiding the Topic of Overtime, Focusing on Health
Chinese businesses have adopted similar marketing tactics but avoid mentioning overtime, instead promoting them as a new form of health maintenance:
- Changed Marketing Language: Instead of claiming quick recovery from overtime, they emphasize nourishing the body and improving sub-health conditions, tapping into young people's fears of sudden death and anxiety (for example, someone who suspects myocarditis may be attracted to "myocarditis drips").
- Hidden Risks: CCTV revealed that NAD+ injections contain ten times the recommended dosage. Prescription drugs are being used on healthy individuals, and the quality of these injections is uncertain, potentially leading to side effects like rashes and shock.
- Obvious Marketing: Some clinics use catchy slogans like "a great place for lazy health maintenance," and the packaging of the drips resembles that of Thai lemon tea, further blurring the line between medical products and consumer goods.
Why Are Workers Easily Persuaded?
The appeal of nutritional injections to young people stems from addressing their common concerns:
- Desire for Quick Results: Injections seem more "professional" and efficient compared to maintaining a regular lifestyle or eating well, satisfying the desire for immediate health benefits.
- Placebo Effect: Many people feel better after receiving injections, which may be due to the ritualistic experience of the medical procedure (the needles, the IV setup, etc.).
- Shift in Focus: The perception shifts from "I need rest" to "I need some supplements," allowing people to avoid addressing the underlying issues (such as excessive overtime or irregular sleep patterns) by turning to consumption.
Reflection on the Trend
The popularity of nutritional injections reflects the exploitation of health anxieties in a fast-paced society:
- Business Tactics: Companies present long-term sub-health problems (fatigue, stress) as solvable with money, offering temporary relief at the expense of a balanced lifestyle and proper nutrition.
- Workers' Dilemma: They don't want to avoid rest but lack the time or resources; instead, they rely on these injections as a quick fix.
- Conclusion: Nutritional injections are not a miracle cure. For healthy individuals, they are both ineffective and risky. Spending thousands on them is better spent on getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet.
This news article serves as a reminder that we should not be deceived by clever marketing. There are no shortcuts to good health; living a healthy lifestyle is always the best approach.