Free Republic

May 1, 2009 -- Fourteen Hydroxycut products, marketed as fat burners, low-cost diet aids, and energy enhancers, are being recalled voluntarily by the manufacturer after the FDA received 23 reports of serious liver injuries ranging from jaundice to death. The FDA announced the recall today at a news conference. The recalled products include: * Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets * Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets * Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets * Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets * Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets * Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets * Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix) * Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets * Hydroxycut Liquid...

Consumers using Hydroxycut products should immediately stop taking the dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration warned today after receiving reports of serious health problems related to the drugs. Hydroxycut The dietary supplements -- made by Iovate Health Sciences Inc. of Oakville in Ontario, Canada, and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. -- have been linked to one death and are associated with several serious liver injuries, the FDA said. Iovate has agreed to recall the products from the market. The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems including jaundice, elevated liver enzymes and...

In one of the most reactionary moves in recent memory, the Federal government early this year instituted a ban on all sales of the wildly popular diet product ephedra. A smattering of high profile deaths from people who should not have been using ephedra, but nonetheless did, drove a campaign to have the product taken off the market. Not one to think anecdotes are a good substitute for science and empirical data, I don't believe there was any justification in taking ephedra off the market. I still believe the ban ought to be revisited and overturned. Nonetheless, the aftermath of...