FDA issues voluntary recall for Hydroxycut due to it causing liver damage
May 5, 2009 at 6:30 am by Kevin O'Dunn
The Canadian manufactured performance enhancement diet supplement Hydroxycut, used for weight loss and body building, has been pulled from the market in a voluntary recall at the request of the US Food and Drug Administration.
This is technically not a drug and is advertised as a “Diet Supplement”. The distress to the liver caused by this supplement has caused 23 reports of liver problems including the death due to liver failure a 17 year old boy. In at least one case a person survived their trouble by receiving a liver transplant.
The supplement is used to remove fluid from the body. With less hydration, fat will decrease visibly in size because there is no water in it; you are still fat, it just looks like less fat. With less hydration the skin will cling more closely to the muscle beneath it. This is desirable to body builders when they are in competition and for male dancers who perform on Ladies’ Nights.
It is not good for daily use- when the body is deprived of hydration the liver can not flush itself properly and a cascade of trouble begins. Over time, common toxins like uric acid can assault the liver because the stuff can not be moved to the bladder.
Hydroxycut is a gimmick. Gimmicks, from a holistic view, are dangerous because the gimmick usually uses chemistry to achieve one specific function with no regard to the rest of the body’s function. To market a gimmick, a company will use what ever “comfort language” they can find to make the product seem safe and desirable.
The manufacturer uses a tropical fruit (of unknown identity) in its structure and this somehow gives the chemistry of the additives and compounds in this poison some validation because the company says it contains “Natural Ingredients”. Snake venom is a natural ingredient too.
The following products are covered by this voluntary recall:
- Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
- Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
- Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Capsules
- Hydroxycut Max Liquid Capsules
- 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
The FDA has no authority to review supplements before they are marketed. The FDA can not challenge a claim made by a product manufacturer until there is evidence of the product’s failure or fraud regarding the claims made by the company marketing the supplement. This is why, as a consumer, you have to be vigilant. Even with review the FDA gets it wrong, remember Phen/Fen?
LIVE WELL
For tips from the World Health Organization on protecting yourself from the flu follow this link.
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