FDA Recalls Hydroxycut

The Food and Drug Administration has ordered a recall of Hydroxycut products, sold in various forms as an herbal based weight loss supplement, because it has been shown to cause jaundice and liver failure in certain people.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

"Consumers should 'immediately stop' using Hydroxycut weight-loss products due to concerns they may cause jaundice and liver failure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

"The FDA has received 23 serious reports of health problems with Hydroxycut products and one death, of a 19-year-old male who had used the weight-loss supplement, said Linda Katz, interim chief medical officer in the FDA's food safety and nutrition division.

"Hydroxycut is widely used by weight lifters and other athletes and can be bought at grocery stores and vitamin stores across the U.S."

Lovate Health Sciences Inc. of Canada, which markets Hydroxycut, has agreed to recall most of its Hydroxycut products. The company sold nine million units of Hydroxycut, which comes in various forms such as pills or food supplements, in 2008.

Hydroxycut, being classified as a food supplement, is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for its efficacy. Simply put, the claims of Hydroxycut being effective in helping someone lose weight, are not proven.

According to an article in the Healthy Skeptic, the weight loss claims of Hydroxycut are dubious, at best. "Hydroxycut is a supplement that combines ingredients with dubious pedigrees with ingredients that may prove to be beneficial in some regard other than weight loss, topped off with stimulants."

The Healthy Skeptic concludes, "If you come across a print ad for Hydroxycut you'll see all the supplement marketers' tricks of the trade. Fantastic anecdotal evidence of impressive weight loss, the 'results may vary' and 'exercise/proper diet are a must in order to lose weight' disclaimer and vague, scientific-sounding language are all on display in a typical one-page ad."

For those who struggle with weight control, a product like Hydroxycut may seem to be a god send. If one can take a pill that will "burn fat" (whatever that means) then the starvation of dieting and exhaustion of exercise can be avoided. It is rather too bad that medical science has yet to develop a pill that can allow one to eat what one pleases while lolling about. But so far such a product does not exist.

That would be reason enough to avoid hydroxycut, even if there wasn't the slight possibility of damaging ones liver.

Sources: UPDATE: FDA: 'Immediately Stop' Taking Hydroxycut Pdts, Jared A. Favole, Wall Street Journal, May 1st, 2009

The Healthy Skeptic: Hydroxycut - Weight Loss Supplement or Myth?, The Healthy Skeptic, January 6th, 2006