FDA Warns of Tainted Weight Loss Products That Could Cause Heart Attack, Stroke and Cancer
As reported in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the FDA is warning consumers not to use six different weight loss supplements because they contain a dangerous drug, sibutramine, that was pulled from the market in 2010 because of the risk of heart attack and stroke. These tainted products include:
- Mix Fruit Slimming, capsules sold on Amazon and other online retailers that are advertised as a “100% natural herbal new slimming pill without any side effects.” The pills also contain phenolphthalein. Phenolphthalein is a chemical that is not an active ingredient in any approved drug in the United States. Studies have indicated that it presents a cancer-causing risk.
- Lingzhi Cleansed Slim Tea, also sold on Amazon and other online retailers, is advertised to “help to improve the function of intestines and stomach and speed up metabolism.”
- Trim Fast, available online and possibly in some retail stores, advertised to “suppress appetite, increase your metabolism by up to 18 times, and significantly increase energy.”
- 24 ince, a slimming drink, is advertised online as “useful for health management such as weight control, reduces glucose level in our blood, reduce fat and cholesterol level.”
- Sliming (sic) Diet by Pretty White, sold on ebay and other online retailers in packages with ten capsules, is marketed as “harmless because it is natural.”
- Lipo 8 is also sold online and in some retail stores as a weight loss pill made from white kidney bean extract to “help eliminate fat before it gets absorbed into the body.”
As pointed out by the FDA, “the product(s) pose a threat to consumers because sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or stroke. These products may also interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking.”
The FDA further warned:
“Consumers may unknowingly take products laced with varying quantities of approved prescription drug ingredients, controlled substances, and untested and unstudied pharmaceutically active ingredients. These deceptive products can harm you! Hidden ingredients are increasingly becoming a problem in products promoted for weight loss.***Remember, FDA cannot test all products on the market that contain potentially harmful hidden ingredients. Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for tainted products only cover a small fraction of the tainted over-the-counter products on the market.”
For a full list of FDA’s warning notices, visit its public notification page.
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