2023-07-05 16:57:20
Homemade Vitamin B1 Spray Ineffective Against Mosquito Bites, Warn Health Experts
June 28, 2023
In a recent video shared on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, a woman claims that spraying a solution of diluted vitamin B1 on the body can repel mosquitoes. However, health experts and scientists are warning against this homemade remedy, stating that it does not effectively prevent mosquito bites and could even put individuals at risk of dangerous mosquito-borne diseases.
Since the video was posted on May 31, 2023, it has been shared over 63,000 times, leading to widespread misinformation regarding the effectiveness of vitamin B1 as a mosquito repellent.
“The use of thiamine as a mosquito repellent has been extensively tested on humans and animals for over 80 years, and it just doesn’t work,” explained Matan Shelomi, associate professor of entomology at National Taiwan University. “You could bathe in thiamine water and still get bitten by mosquitoes. It’s useless as a deterrent, but myths never die.”
Shelomi conducted a scientific literature review which examined 49 papers, 16 guidelines on insect bite prevention, and four government documents. None of the papers reported any protective effect of vitamin B1 against mosquito bites.
Using ineffective repellents leaves individuals vulnerable to mosquito bites and at risk for diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and the Zika virus, according to Shelomi.
Furthermore, Donal Bisanzio, a senior epidemiologist at the US non-profit scientific research organization Research Triangle Institute, highlighted the sensitivity of vitamin B1 to daylight. “Mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever are active during the day. Like other vitamins, vitamin B1 is very sensitive to daylight. When vitamin B1 is diluted in a solution, it is rapidly degraded by sunlight after spraying,” he explained.
Daniel Markowski, a technical advisor at the American Mosquito Control Association, echoed the seriousness of mosquito-borne diseases, stating, “Mosquito-borne diseases are a very serious and real threat.”
To effectively prevent mosquito bites, experts recommend using repellents with ingredients approved by health authorities. These include diethyltoluamide (DEET), icaridin, and others. These proven repellents have been recognized as effective in preventing mosquito bites and reducing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.
In conclusion, homemade vitamin B1 spray is not an effective remedy for mosquito bites, according to scientists and health experts. Instead, individuals are urged to use repellents with approved ingredients to protect themselves from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.
Copyright © AFP 2017-2023. All rights reserved.]
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