FDA Warning about Weight Loss Products

  • Weight Loss Products: Warning Expands
    FDA Warns About 72 Tainted Weight Loss Products
    By Miranda Hitti
    WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDMarch 20, 2009 -- The FDA today expanded its list of tainted weight loss products that consumers shouldn't buy or use.

    In December, the FDA warned about more than 25 weight loss products that contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may be risky.

    Now, that warning list includes 72 illegal weight loss products that the FDA wants consumers to avoid. Those products contain any of the following undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients:

    fenproporex -- a controlled substance not approved for marketing in the U.S.
    fluoxetine -- an antidepressant available by prescription only
    bumetanide -- a potent diuretic available by prescription only
    furosemide -- a potent diuretic available by prescription only
    rimonabant -- a drug not approved for marketing in the U.S.
    cetilistat -- an experimental obesity drug not approved for marketing in the U.S.
    phenytoin -- an antiseizure medication available by prescription only
    phenolphthalein -- a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer-causing agent that is not approved for marketing in the U.S.

    The health risks posed by these products can be very serious and include high blood pressure, seizures, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), palpitations, heart attack, and stroke.

    Sibutramine, a controlled substance, was found in many of these products at levels much higher than the maximum daily dosage for Meridia, the only FDA-approved drug product containing sibutramine. These higher levels of sibutramine can increase the incidence and severity of these health risks.

    Fenproporex, another controlled substance, can cause arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and possible sudden death.

    Tainted Weight Loss Products

    Here is the FDA's full list of all 72 tainted weight loss products:

    2 Day Diet
    2 Day Diet Slim Advance
    2x Powerful Slimming
    3 Day Diet
    3 Days Fit
    3x Slimming Power
    5x Imelda Perfect Slimming
    7 Day Herbal Slim
    7 Days Diet
    7 Diet
    7 Diet Day/Night Formula
    8 Factor Diet
    Eight Factor Diet
    21 Double Slim
    24 Hours Diet
    999 Fitness Essence
    BioEmagrecim
    Body Creator
    Body Shaping
    Body Slimming
    Cosmo Slim
    Extrim Plus
    Extrim Plus 24 Hour Reburn
    Fasting Diet
    Fatloss Slimming
    GMP
    Herbal Xenicol
    Imelda Fat Reducer
    Imelda Perfect Slim
    JM Fat Reducer
    Lida DaiDaihua
    Meili
    Meizitang
    Miaozi MeiMiaoQianZiJiaoNang
    Miaozi Slim Capsules
    Natural Model
    Perfect Slim
    Perfect Slim 5x
    Perfect Slim Up
    Phyto Shape
    Powerful Slim
    ProSlim Plus
    Reduce Weihgt
    Royal Slimming Formula
    Sana Plus
    Slim 3 in 1
    Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Formula
    Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Waist Formula
    Slim 3 in 1 M18 Royal Diet
    Slim 3 in 1 Slim Formula
    Slim Burn
    Slim Express 4 in 1
    Slim Express 360
    Slim Fast (This product isn't related to the Slim-Fast line of meal replacement and related products.)
    Slim Tech
    Slim Up
    Slim Waist Formula
    Slim Waistline
    Slimbionic
    Sliminate
    Slimming Formula
    Somotrim
    Starcaps
    Super Fat Burner
    Superslim
    Super Slimming
    Trim 2 Plus
    Triple Slim
    Venom Hyperdrive 3.0
    Waist Strength Formula
    Xsvelten
    Zhen de Shou
    View Article Sources
    SOURCE:

    News release, FDA.

    WebMD Health News: " FDA Warns of Risky Weight Loss Pills."