[JayEll]

Hydroxycut has been linked to liver damage and one death.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30518843/

Jay

[SweetScrumptious]

My boyfriend just told me this an hour ago.

Apparently, he said, that there are 23 cases reported of liver damage out of 9 million. That's a pretty low number. And for those 23 cases, are they sure that the damage is linked to Hydroxcut? And if it is, did those people take the correct recommend amounts or did they double everything to speed things up? Or maybe they used a supplement along with other supplements/medications and there is some bad reactions?

I guess instead of really looking into it, they are just going to cull it.

(not trying to start arguments, just stating my opinion)

[JayEll]

That's a pretty low number.

If I take a gun and fire into a big crowd of people and kill only one, does that mean it's OK?

I don't think the 23 people with liver problems would say it's a low number.

Jay

[SweetScrumptious]

No, I'm sure people with the damage don't think it's a low number.

I think what I meant was, are they absolutely sure this is the cause of said damage? People take a wide variety of things and mix them all together.

It is right to cull such item at this time since nothing is quite known, but I hope more research is put into it.

I think a good example for comparison is Tylenol. It is one of the most leading causes of liver damage/failure. "Studies indicate that acetaminophen overdose results in over 56,000 injuries, 2,500 hospitalizations, and an estimated 450 deaths per year." All related to either taking too much, regular use over many years, or mixing it with other drugs/alcohol. So why isn't this common drug getting banned from the market? Hydroxcut results in 1 death and it gets taken off the market.

What I do find interesting from the article you shared with us is that Diet Supplements do NOT need to go through the same testing and regulations as FDA approved drugs. Once they are on the market, they start keeping track of complaints/reports.

I think that FDA should require diet supplements to have just as much regulations and testing as approved drugs before they get onto the market. If side effects and drug reactions are known BEFORE they are on the market [or maybe they won't even be allowed to be on the market], much avoided injuries can be prevented (like these cases with Hydroxcut for example). This kind of puts a new insight in me; I will be more careful with what I put into my body, especially diet supplements since they are not strictly tested [which I will admit here; I did take Hydroxcut last year when I was desperate to get out of my plateau. It sort of worked to get out of my plateau, but I just entered a new one. So I stopped taking supplements and found there was a better way for me to get out of it]. FDA needs to change their policies and require more testing to be involved with supplement aides.

Anyways, thanks for posting this article so people who are taking it know of the ban

[kiramira]

Um, the manufacturer voluntarily recalled all of this product. Even though it is made of "natural ingredients", it is not tested nor regulated as it is considered a supplement, NOT a medicine. And if it isn't tested, you can't be sure that the ingredients listed are actually there in the reported amounts. This is the issue that resulted in the recall of ephedrine/ma huang -- dosages were often well above the "safe" levels.
And, for the sake of weight loss or performance, people will take just about anything. It seems that common sense goes right out the window. And if one was affected by this "supplement", I'll bet my bottom dollar that one'd be on a phone with a lawyer to sue the company AND the government for not doing something to prevent this.
Now, based on the deaths and problems attributed directly to the supplement, action has been taken.
I guess a person will have to lose weight the long, hard, and boring way...
Kira

[Lori259]

OOPS JAY I started a thread also.
Sorry ~I just noticed your afterwards~So sorry.
IN a hurry but wanted to share about my readings also.
Glad you placed it on here also. IF they need to remove one of the threads They can remove mine.

[sacha]

This stuff is garbage anyways. Sorry, but I believe that eating well and working out is the only true path to long-lasting weight loss. If you need to take drugs then you need to explore other alternatives. More intense cardio, heavier weights, more active life, healthier recipes, etc. The quest to health does not exist in a pill.

[nelie]

there are 23 KNOWN cases. Liver damage can go undetected for a while. I know someone who had liver cancer and it went undetected for years, which is common with liver cancer. Usually it shows up when its already too late.

[Zen Pharmacy]

Prescription medications and OTCs (over the counter) can be pulled for just -one- incident of liver damage or something equally severe.

Supplements get tricky. Until 1994, dietary supplements weren't monitored by anyone really. The FDA has been implementing new rules steadily since then, but the onus is on the manufacturers to report any adverse effects.

It's not ideal, but I can understand why it is like that at this point. The FDA is completely overwhelmed and currently doesn't have the resources to have a process like the ones for OTCs.

The United States Pharmacopeia does have a program called the Dietary Supplement Verification Program that tests the products for quality verification.

Sorry if this a little jumbled, I'm in the process of studying for my Pharmacy Law exam and my head is mess of federal and state acts and regulations ;>

[ringmaster]

It's interesting just Hydroxycut is getting pulled, I looked at the ingredients and they are found in other products, so why just Hydroxycut? It's not like ephedra where all the ephedra diet products were pulled. They don't know what ingredient was causing the problems, so people could still be taken it in other diet pills.