FDA announces recall of diet pill Hydroxycut

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC/Washington Post

WASHINGTON -- Government health officials are announcing the recall of popular weight loss pill Hydroxycut, after reports of liver damage and other health problems.

Food and Drug Administration officials said Friday the manufacturer of Hydroxycut has launched a nationwide recall of the dietary supplement, used by people trying to shed pounds and by body builders to sharpen their muscles.

Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. It accounts for about 90 percent of the market for weight loss supplements, with sales of about 1 million bottles a year.

Dietary supplements are not as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need FDA approval ahead of time before marketing their products.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/01/AR2009050101509.html

[annabanana]

1. Their ads always looked like so much snake oil to me...

I'm not surprised there are "problems" with the product.

[DUlover2909]

2. Wow. A pill that causes weight loss is dangerous?

:sarcasm:

[florida08]

3. the FDA

is finally doing it's job. Good. What a racket that industry is.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Did it have to approve the stuff in the first place and only just now realize they screwed up, or

were they not required to check the stuff over at all? (Not sure how regulations work.)

[blueclown]

4. I just started taking this pill 2 weeks ago.

Didn't notice many side effects from taking it other than some pains in my left side. But it is a terrific appettite supresser and gives you a good boost of energy. You need to have a sensible diet and cardio/weightlifting regime to see the effects. It seems many people just pop the pills and hope to lose 10 pounds immmediately.

[marshall]

5. Better stock up now!

I used to pop one daily--lost a lot of weight.

[blueclown]

6. Doubt many of them are on the shelves at this point.

These products get yanked off the shelves pretty damn quick when there is a recall.

I can live without it. It's just a nice supplementary piece to my diet.

[mule_train]

7. Nothing is worth liver damage

you cant fix your liver, with willpower

[Regret My New Name]

14. I took that stuff for about a month a little over a year ago.

I did lose weight, a lot of weight, but I don't know how much credit I can give those pills for it. I mean, I give more credit to the fact I ran six days a week and did strength training a few days a week...

[asjr]

8. Hydroxycut--sounds like a type of women's

panties.

[man4allcats]

11. I have no appetite for it myself, but

I'm told there is a market for edible underwear.

[pattmarty]

10. I have always maintained they should go back to the original...........

.............diet pills, ie amphetamines. If you don't want to exercise the only other thing you can do is not eat. You take amphetamines and methamphetamines and you don't eat.:sarcasm:

[Xithras]

12. Thank you! Just bought the last two bottles at my local Longs Drugs.

I've put on a little bit of weight over the past year and a half, and started using Hydroxycut about a month and a half ago to take it back off. The stuff really does help.

My understanding is that the problems come from people using too much of it. The pills give you a minor amp, so some people slam way more of the things than are suggested on the bottle. AFAIK, there are no reported cases of ANYONE getting sick when they follow the directions. Since I take them as suggested, I'm not really worried about side effects.

It's kinda funny, but I pulled this thread up earlier, read it, and flew out to my car. 5 minutes later I was at the closest Longs, and 2 minutes after that their last two boxes of Hydroxycut were in my hands. When I got to the register, the lady asked me if they really worked, and I told her that they did. She then mentioned to me that I was the fourth person in the "last 30 minutes" to buy some. I waited until AFTER I had paid and she had handed me the bag and receipt to mention that the FDA had just banned them and they were supposed to be pulled from the shelves. The manager overheard and came walking over, but I left without saying a word to him. They did have some of the single-shot bottles left on the shelves, but I'd bet they were gone within a few minutes of me leaving.

[Vidar]

13. I guess the bribe wasn't big enough.

[Sgent]

15. Just thought I should point out

this article isn't entirely clear on the point.

Hydroxycut was regulated as a "dietary supplement" not a drug -- meaning there was no prior approval by the FDA and the FDA can only recall if they can prove damage.

Drugs have to go through testing for safety and efficacy-- supplements do not. Drugs are also regulated as to purity of the product, non contaminants, etc -- unlike supplements. Not to say the drug regulation is perfect -- it certainly is not (see Viox). But I'd rather take my chances where at least some studies have been done.

[lildreamer316]

16. Hmm. So it hasn't mattered that they took the ephedra out years ago; whatever replaced it is worse.

It didn't have liver damage claims when it had epehdra in it.

[mule_train]

17. ephedra was bad too

unfortunately, a lot of dangerous stuff is sold in the health food stores