Consumers Warned About Hazardous Weight Loss Products

Seattle – The commitment to a new diet and weight loss regimen is a common New Year’s resolution. After the season of holiday overindulgence, many an individual enters the New Year carrying a few extra unwanted pounds. There is an endless assortment of options for losing weight. While each dieter has to determine which means of weight reduction works best for them, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued warnings to consumers regarding specific products which, based on recent findings, should not be a part of that consideration.

This week the FDA released a warning that close to thirty weight loss products contain ingredients that could pose dire health risks. The warning was prompted by an FDA analysis which found active pharmaceutical ingredients in many of the diet aids in question. Most disturbing about these findings is the fact that, in almost every case, the detrimental ingredients are undisclosed, thus leaving unsuspecting consumers unaware of what they are actually ingesting. Though many of these products are marketed as dietary supplements and claim to have only “natural” or “herbal” ingredients, they in fact possess varying amounts of controlled substances. These substances include active ingredients from prescription weight loss drugs, unapproved FDA drugs, and suspected carcinogens. The FDA has noted that the controlled substances in some of these products are found in levels which far exceed their recommended daily dosage.

One of the controlled substances found in several of these products is sibutramine. Sibutramine is FDA approved and has been shown to reduce the yearning for food, but also has the potential side effect of increasing blood pressure in those prone to hypertension. Rimonabant is another controlled substance the FDA has identified in some of these weight loss products. This drug, which the FDA considered but refused to approve, has been used in Europe to reduce the desire for food and tobacco, but has the potentially harmful side effect of spurring the onset of depression and suicidal thoughts. Phenytoin, an anti-seizure drug, and phenolphthalein, a potential cancer causing agent, have also been found in some of these products.

Because of the ease of accessibility to these products, the FDA has acted swiftly to notify the public of this potential threat to their health. Though illegal, these products are widely available on various internet websites and in some retail stores. The FDA advises those who have taken these products to cease using them immediately and to consult their healthcare professional. Consumers are additionally urged to make a practice of consulting their health care provider before purchasing any weight loss products. A list of the potentially harmful weight loss products can be obtained by visiting the consumer alerts section of the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01933.html.