FDA Warns of Weight Loss Pills and Dietary Supplements with Undeclared Drugs

The FDA has issued an alert to notify consumers not to purchase over 25 different weight loss pills, some of which are marketed as dietary supplements. These products, which are being sold in retail stores and through the internet, contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients which could pose serious health risks.

The weight loss products highlighted in the FDA warning include:

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

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The FDA has indicated that the weight loss pills pose serious health risks, with the potential to cause increased blood pressure, seizures, tachycardia, palpitations, heart attacks or strokes. The products may contain pharmaceutical ingredients which are controlled substances or not approved for marketing in the United States.

Some of the products contain sibutramine, which is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the anti-obesity drug Meridia, a medication that is only available by prescription. Receiving this product in an over-the-counter product may increase the risk of side effects like tachycardia, increased blood pressure, seizures and palpitations.

Rimonabant, which is approved in Europe but not in the United States, has also been found to be present in some of the listed weight loss pills and dietary supplements. Over the last two years, this active pharmaceutical ingredient has been linked with an increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. It has been associated with 720 reported adverse reactions and at least 5 deaths in Europe.

The pharmaceutical ingredient phenolphthalein has also been found in some of these products, which is a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer causing agent.

Consumers have been advised to immediately stop using these dietary supplements and weight loss pills, and to contact their doctors regarding possible side effects and future treatments for obesity.

“These tainted weight loss products pose a great risk to public health because they contain undeclared ingredients and, in some cases, contain prescription drugs in amounts that greatly exceed their maximum recommended dosages,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA. “Consumers have no way of knowing that these products contain powerful drugs that could cause serious health consequences.”

Dietary supplements are not usually regulated by the FDA, but if a product contains active ingredients it does require FDA approval. Many of these products indicate that they only contain “herbal” ingredients, but actually have pharmaceutical ingredients which may be potentially harmful and are not listed on the product labels or in advertisements, making them illegal in the United States.

The FDA has indicated that they are inspecting companies marketing the illegal products and seeking recalls. The agency may take additional steps against companies that do not cooperate in recalls, such as issuing warning letters or initiating seizures and filing criminal charges.

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11 Comments

  • ShariJuly 27, 2012 at 8:56 am

    I was taking 2 day diet,7 day diet,and Perfect Slim

  • wayneJune 1, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Iis aparently an epidemic of obesity in our country for whatever reason. And the people seem to be getting bigger and don't mind it. I think everyone has gotten used to seeing it and being it that they think it is the norm. No it's not the norm to be over weight. Iknow they have a saying that says fat is where it's at , but it's not Being over weight is the beginning of your health problems. Hi[Show More]Iis aparently an epidemic of obesity in our country for whatever reason. And the people seem to be getting bigger and don't mind it. I think everyone has gotten used to seeing it and being it that they think it is the norm. No it's not the norm to be over weight. Iknow they have a saying that says fat is where it's at , but it's not Being over weight is the beginning of your health problems. High blood presure,Sugar diabedis.etc, Get rid of the weight, you're on the road to better health

  • EileenFebruary 6, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    In August I took venom hyperdrive. On the 3rd day I had a tia stroke.I Am still having some nervous system problems. I had been on vemon and was told the hyperdrive was the same.It is not the same . Learned a hard lesson and still gained back the weight.

  • Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 Recall: FDA Warns of Undeclared Drug : AboutLawsuits.comJanuary 28, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    [...] month, Venom Hyperdrive was among 25 different weight loss pills and dietary supplements which the FDA warned contain sibutramine, including 2 Day Diet, 3x Slimming Power, Fatloss [...]

  • JessicaJanuary 3, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    People need to get off their lazy butts and exercise and eating right instead of taking pills to lose weight.

  • BrettDecember 24, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    I tried Vemon and had some serious side effects. It felt after the third dose as if I was having a heart attack. I had chest pains and began vomiting. At that moment I discarded the rest. I now understand why it had those effects. Undeclared illegal ingredients. I can only hope a class action emerges.

  • Joe The PlumberDecember 24, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    Someone is lobby the FDA to probe it. The pills is heading beyond all the FDA approved drugs. Remember they don't tested everthing pills but rule out the whole drug categories. Rather than issueing a warnging they pull the pluged that is red flag, right. can the drug be modify? I don't think so at this point because FDA pull the plug already. it is different to ask the maker to correct the problem[Show More]Someone is lobby the FDA to probe it. The pills is heading beyond all the FDA approved drugs. Remember they don't tested everthing pills but rule out the whole drug categories. Rather than issueing a warnging they pull the pluged that is red flag, right. can the drug be modify? I don't think so at this point because FDA pull the plug already. it is different to ask the maker to correct the problem versu recall. yeah, you can stuff hamburger in you fat mouth and die in rate of 8 out 10 or you can use the rate 5 out of 10 taking the pills. lol.

  • EbertDecember 23, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    To the commenters above - the point is these companies are selling products with undeclared ingredients. That means people DON'T KNOW what they're taking, whether it works or not. Some of the ingredients in the "natural" and "herbal" "health supplements" are unnaproved drugs, excess amounts of pharmaceuticals that require a prescription, and even chemicals that are known carcinogens. I have an id[Show More]To the commenters above - the point is these companies are selling products with undeclared ingredients. That means people DON'T KNOW what they're taking, whether it works or not. Some of the ingredients in the "natural" and "herbal" "health supplements" are unnaproved drugs, excess amounts of pharmaceuticals that require a prescription, and even chemicals that are known carcinogens. I have an idea. Instead of taking something that could KILL you, why don' t you just take the damn cheesburger out of your fat mouth?

  • KarenDecember 23, 2008 at 7:36 pm

    I think the problem is a contaminated BATCH of these pills, so while you may have safely taken them in the past, this BATCH might be bad. Something about they crammed them full of certain prescription drugs by 'accident'. CNN Headline news has the story and that is what they are saying. You are taking your life in your hands taking any medication these days it seems, they are all made in China[Show More]I think the problem is a contaminated BATCH of these pills, so while you may have safely taken them in the past, this BATCH might be bad. Something about they crammed them full of certain prescription drugs by 'accident'. CNN Headline news has the story and that is what they are saying. You are taking your life in your hands taking any medication these days it seems, they are all made in China, where they just might put anything handy into them, prescription or not apparently. Very scary.

  • ThomasDecember 23, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    How much do you think the Pharmaceutical Companies payed the "Powers that Be" in the FDA to declare this? How many people die each year because of "Approved" prescription drugs? I myself don't approve of any diet pills or most drugs but I dislike the corrupt government bureaucracies getting involved in our lives even less.

  • SamanthaDecember 23, 2008 at 4:23 pm

    This is the biggest crock of crap I have ever read in my life. I've been on Venom for two YEARS, I'm still alive, I'm still okay, I'm 60 pounds LIGHTER than I was. "May be potentially harmful" is not the same as "harmful." It's like being "almost" pregnant. People need to take responsibility for their own actions. They decide to take the pill, not the FDA.

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