FDA Warns About Retail & Internet Diet Products  --  Consumer Alert!

Dec. 22, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Monday to avoid more than two dozen products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared ingredients that could pose serious health risks.

The products are sold in some retail stores and on the Internet and some claim to contain only “natural” or “herbal” ingredients. But the undeclared ingredients (not listed on labels) range from an anti-seizure medication to a suspected carcinogen, the FDA said.

The FDA identified the weight loss products as: Fatloss Slimming, Japan Lingzhi 24 Hours Diet, 7 Day Herbal Slim, 999 Fitness Essence, Imelda Perfect Slim, Perfect Slim, ProSlim Plus, Slim Express 360, Superslim, Venom Hyperdrive 3.0, 2 Day Diet, 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming, 8 Factor Diet, Extrim Plus, Lida DaiDaihua, Perfect Slim 5x, Royal Slimming Formula, Slimtech, TripleSlim, 3x Slimming Power, 3 Day Diet, 7 Diet Day/Night Formula, GMP, Miaozi Slim Capsules, Phyto Shape, Slim 3 in 1, Somotrim, and Zhen de Shou.

The FDA said an analysis found that the undeclared ingredients in some of these products include sibutramine (a controlled substance, a prescription weight loss drug), rimonabant (a diet drug not approved for marketing in the United States), phenytoin (an anti-seizure medication), and phenolphthalein (a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer-causing agent). Some of the amounts of active ingredients greatly exceed FDA-recommended levels, putting consumers’ health at risk, the agency said.

The risks posed by these products can be serious, the FDA said. For instance, sibutramine, which was found in many of the products, can cause high blood pressure, seizures, palpitations, heart attack or stroke. The drug can also interact with other medications that patients may be taking and increase their risk of serious side effects.

Consumers who have used any of these products should stop taking them immediately and consult their health-care professional.

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