FDA and A New Year’s Resolution That Might Not Be So Good For Your Health
By: Carrie R. Frank
The holidays are here, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, New Year’s celebrations. All times when food is in abundance and our waistlines are expanding. Many people put “weight loss” high on their list of New Year’s Resolutions but when the new treadmill starts to collect dust, people often look for a “quick fix” to shed the unwanted weight. But beware; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just issued a new warning about the dangers of some diet pills.
The FDA has compiled a list of 28 diet pills and weight loss supplements that should not be used because they contain ingredients that are not listed on the label and could be hazardous to your health. Many of these pills and supplements claim to be “natural” or “herbal” or are new versions of “ancient remedies;” all words that imply that they are safe. However, what is not included on the label is that some of these products contain a controlled substance that is not approved for sale in the U.S. and a suspected cancer-causing agent. These products are often sold on-line and it appears that many come from China. The weight loss remedies include: Fatloss Slimming, 2 Day Diet, 3x Slimming Power, 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming, 3 Day Diet Japan Lingzhi, 24 Hours Diet, 7 Diet Day/Night Formula, 7 Day Herbal Slim, 8 Factor Diet, 999 Fitness Essence, Extrim Plus, GMP, Imelda Perfect Slim, Lida DaiDaihua, Miaozi Slim Capsules, Perfect Slim, Perfect Slim 5x, Phyto Shape, ProSlim Plus, Royal Slimming Formula, Slim 3 in 1, Slim Express 360, Slimtech, Somotrin, Superslim, TripleSlim, Zhen de Shou, and Venom Hyperdrive 3.0.
Most of these diet pills and supplements contain sibutramine, which is an appetite suppressant and is related to amphetamines. In some people, sibutramine can cause strokes, heat attacks and heart palpitations. Sibutramine is one chemical ingredient in prescription drugs used to treat obesity, but the FDA found almost three times the recommended dosage in the above pills. Some of these pills also contain phenolphthalein, which has been used as a laxative but is being pulled from the U.S. market because it is tied to increased risks of cancer. The labels do not list these ingredients, so consumers have no way of knowing what is in the pills or that the ingredients may get them a trip to the emergency room.
The FDA is trying to get the sales of these diet pills stopped and is considered other charges, including criminal charges, against some of the manufacturers. As one lawyer for the FDA said, “if it sounds too good to be true, it is likely to be too good to be true.” The only safe and effective way to lose weight is to put fewer calories in, and work more calories out, of your body.
