As Suneung nears, 'magic pills' lure test takers, but experts warn of risks

With only a week left before the national Suneung college admissions exam, some test takers and their parents are reaching out for additional assistance to manage test anxiety jitters: pills that make them brainier.

Lee, an 18-year-old third-grade high school student who attends a private school in Incheon's Songdo district, is one of them.

"I heard that the anxiety-soothing pills and traditional Korean medicine like 'cheongsimhwan' could ease test anxiety symptoms such as rapid heartbeat and handshaking, as well as enhance concentration," he told The Korea Herald.

Lee said he had been avoiding greasy food and flour and sticking to a healthy diet to get the most from the "cheongsimhwan."

"Isn't it better than nothing to take it weeks before the Suneung than stepping in the test site that could change my life without trying one?"

"Cheongsimhwan," a traditional Korean herbal medicine for nervousness and anxiety, is popularly considered one way to recharge one's strength before an important event. It supposedly helps students who are grappling with excessive anxiety by stabilizing their heartbeat and blood flow.

"Gongjindan," also a Korean herbal medicine used for treating fatigue, is another option on students' lists to boost their performance. "Cheonwangbosimdan" is also a highly sought-after Korean herbal medicine generally used to relieve sleep deprivation among students here.

These can be purchased at pharmacies or online without a prescription.

Oriental medicine doctors advise taking the herbal medicine one or two weeks before the exam. However, the Association of Korean Medicine warned that taking the medication when students "do not feel extreme nervousness" can lead to negative consequences, such as diarrhea or dizziness, that could interfere with students' performance while taking the exam.

"Test takers tend to reach out to gongjindan or cheongsimhwan before the Suneung to improve focus and alleviate anxiety," the group said in a press release released late last month.

"However, the effects of these anti-anxiety supplements vary based on people's bodies and the amount of medication one takes. Using them without considering these aspects could lead to side effects," the association noted.

Apart from the traditional boosters, others reach out to supplements for ADHD, which are often wrongly promoted as drugs that can boost cognitive abilities and assure performance-enhancing effects. These pills do not require a prescription and can be purchased online.

But some go further to seek out prescription ADHD medications or controlled cdrugs. Health authorities here spotted a total of 669 cases of illegal sales of ADHD pills to students from Aug. 4-14 in a special illegal drug distribution inspection targeting college applicants, according to data revealed by Rep. Han Ji-ah of the ruling People Power Party in late September.

The figure was nearly a threefold increase from the 200 cases detected in a similar inspection held shortly before last year's Suneung in November.

Instead of medication claiming to be study aids to cope with anxiety before an exam, other health care experts recommended eating a balanced diet to lessen uneasiness.

Baek Yu-jin, a family medicine professor at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, pointed out that parents and test takers should not be swayed by misleading advertisements for products marketed as "study supplements" or "memory enhancers" ahead of the Suneung.

"As the crucial period is nearing for students, they should focus on maintaining their health, as well as physical and mental condition through balanced eating habits rather than relying on study aid supplements," the professor noted.

Lee Hae-kook, a psychiatry professor at the Catholic University of Korea, stressed that ADHD pills are used to help treat the psychiatric conditions of individuals struggling with cognitive and behavioral regulation.

"Taking the medication will not enhance student's concentration or cognitive abilities if they do not have ADHD. Taking the pills without being diagnosed with the illness can cause side effects such as loss of appetite, heart rate elevation, insomnia and even hallucination," the professor explained.

Amid rising cases of students depending on study pills to improve their academic performance, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Monday it had caught 83 misleading advertisements related to food and health supplements and 711 posts illegally distributing or selling ADHD medications during an inspection of some 300 online marketplaces between Oct.10-25 this year.