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Emergency medicine specialists report a sharp rise in requests for the so called yellow serum as Türkiye enters its annual flu period.
Doctors say hundreds of people ask for the treatment each day because they believe it helps them recover faster. Medical experts warn that the serum carries serious risks and offers no real advantage over standard oral medication.
Daily demand now reaches between 300 and 400 people Prof Dr Sogut told Türkiye Daily, as reported by Ziyneti Kocabiyik.
He described the solution as a mix of vitamins and painkillers. B vitamins give the liquid its yellow colour. Many people choose it because they want to return to work quickly or feel pressured to stay active during illness.
Dr. Sogut said the serum does not differ from medicines taken by mouth. He advised patients to use the same drugs in oral form, rest at home, and drink water. He said most flu related infections resolve with basic care.
Prof Dr Sogut said the treatment is far from harmless and that even a simple B vitamin can cause anaphylaxis in people with allergies.
This condition can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure, shock, or severe breathing problems similar to an asthma crisis.
He added that opening a vein for intravenous treatment introduces additional risks such as vessel rupture, inflammation, and infection. If the patient can swallow medicine, he said, the oral version gives the same effect without these complications.
Prof Dr Sogut also warned against attempts to receive the treatment at home. Some patients ask doctors to write instructions so they can arrange the serum privately.
He said any case of anaphylactic shock requires immediate medical intervention and that no home environment can provide this response.
He stressed that even trained health workers should not apply yellow serum outside clinical settings because the risk is too high.
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