Following the death of a 19-year-old male and 23 reports of liver damage, the FDA has stepped in to warn consumers to discontinue use of the popular diet pill Hydroxycut. Hydroxycut manufacturer Iovate Health Sciences has agreed to recall 14 products from the market as “an abundance of caution.”
From the FDA press release — The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.
The teen’s death happened in 2007, and was only reported to the FDA in March 2009. Dr. Linda Katz of the FDA’s food and nutrition division said it has taken so long to bring this to the public’s attention because the cases were rare and the FDA has no authority over supplements (a government report in March 2009 called for higher supervision of supplements by the FDA). “Part of the problem is that the FDA looks at dietary supplements from a post-market perspective, and an isolated incident is often difficult to follow,” she said.
The FDA does not regulate supplements with the same authority it does pharmaceuticals. Producers do not have to have an FDA approval nor inspection of the products for safety or efficacy before being sold to consumers. “You really have to be careful about dietary supplements, especially weight-loss pills,” said Ano Lobb, who has studied Hydroxycut for Consumer Reports. “People believe that the FDA has verified that these products are at least safe and effective, and that’s really not the case. When you see fantastic claims — that’s generally what they are.”
The FDA does monitor aftermarket reports for health problems related to these supplements. A similar warning in 2004 regarding ephedra forced the government to enact a ban on the supplement ingredient following reports of heart attack and stroke.
This list of Hydroxycut products being recalled include:
Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural
Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall.
“The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. The products contain a variety of ingredients and herbal extracts,” per the FDA press release.
via FDA and Associated Press
May 1st, 2009
brennalynn
User Feedback
(Page 1 of 1, 10 total comments)riaan
A heart attack in your 30's because of hydroxycut! What bs. Obviously something else wrong or you double dosed or summin...
posted Oct 17th, 2010 2:56 pmI have been using it for 4 years, 6 months on and off... great results everytime! No issues...
Recommended
trevia
Yes I feel everyone should read about a product before taking it and no one has the right to fault anyone who doesn't. So for the person who made the rude comment for everyone to stop complaining, I feel he or she should calm down a little and give the people a break. Not everyone is aware and they feel that if a company puts a product out there then it is safe to take. You can't judge anyone anyway so it's fair to tell you to think before you make a comment next time! You call them stupid but what are you.
posted Aug 11th, 2010 11:48 pmBrian
Great product...I used it two seperate summers about 5 years ago. Never had any symptoms, Serious weight loss. Others had issues not related to HC.
posted May 15th, 2010 11:48 pmjim
I took it about two years ago with outstanding results and few side effects. However, like most suppliments I take far less than the recommended dose. I took two a day. I have heeded the warning but have started taking it again because of the great results. I will continue to only take two a day and watch for adverse symptoms, itchiness, colored urine, jaundice etc. If I start seeing these I will stop. I have one and a half bottles left and will stop after the "biggest loser" competition at work. I would like to see a study of liver damage with short use and lower doses.
posted May 6th, 2010 9:24 amrenoto
I thank you all for the results of thr product I WAS going to use it ,but now I change my mind.
posted Mar 26th, 2010 5:08 pmKelsey
To everyone complaining about this product and how you have problems due to taking them please note that there is no shortcut to lose weight without side effects. If you are stupid enough to try this shortcut then prepare yourselves for the worst. I personally have started taking hydroxycut and I know what can happen. So don't complain about something when you know it can kill you.
posted Jan 22nd, 2010 8:38 pmShelly
I had no problems but I did not take it as recommended I would take 2 tablets 1 hour before I worked out.
posted Dec 1st, 2009 9:07 pmtheresa stichberry
i had been taken this product for 6 weeks and had 2 heart attaches at age 36 with no other reason to have had my heart attach . i had 2 spiral tears in the main artery of my heart. i have several doctors looking into this and at this point they are looking at hydroxycut!!!i am so mad this has effected my family and i so much i have 4 kids and did not need to go thru this! i am getting ready to talk to a lawyer as well!!!
posted Oct 7th, 2009 2:46 pmjedi
I was a hydroxycut user, i enjoyed the energy it gave me...especially the curb in my apetite. I am certain that something has happened to my body since the use of this product that has yet to be unexplained. At this time i am not sure of the exact cause of my symptoms...but one thing is for certain , i didnt have them before hydroxycut. I am extremely fatigued, My whole body hurts & i have a distinct pain in my lower back (the pain around my body feels like the symptoms right before gettn sick with a fever, weak &disoriented) . My dr.has told me that i was showing signs of fibromyalgia. & Chronic fatigue syndrome.according to some of my tests My Ryhmatoid factor was high & my liver enzymes had almost quadrupled. A normal persons enymes are at a level 15 and mine was at 58...??... i have gained alot of weight around my stomach and only my stomach.. .i dont drink beer or eat like a pig to justify the weight gain........again i am not certain that hydroxycut (hydroxycitric acid) is the cause of all of this, but as soon as i can afford it , i will get more tests done to see whats going on....i will admit that money has been a factor in my continue-ing search for the cause of my pain...as well as no health insurance. All tests are costing me time from work and preciouse cash . If you are taking hydroxycut anything , just look up the ingredient "HYDROXY CITRIC ACID"(from a tropical fruit named Garcinia Camogia...) and make sure that you are not taking this product . My father taught me that Where there is smoke there is fire...& at this time "hydoxycut and its users may be in danger...." if your Dr. ordered an MRI and all that came out of that test was fatty tissue around your liver and it was making your enzymes elivate...this may be the cause.......keep an open mind, as i am writing you this review,i feel that it is important to tell some one my story....i guess so that i can know that i wasnt the only one suffering and that those that are suffering , know that you are not alone...please excuse my spelling..
posted Aug 25th, 2009 12:31 amDianne
I tood the original hydroxycut with ephedra religiously about 10 years ago. I was on the maximum recommended dose and definitely saw good results. However, approximately 6 months later after going to the gym daily my strength rapidly declined and I gained a large amount of weight in a short time. My health has been declining with weakness and fatigue and tremors and no Dr. has been able to figure it out. Could using hydroxycut be a contributing factor to my declining health????
posted Jul 22nd, 2009 12:48 pm