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Is Hydroxycut Bad for Your Liver?

Hydroxycut is a popular weight-loss supplement manufactured by Iovate Health Sciences. Approximately 1 million units of Hydroxycut are sold every year through stores and direct television sales. Although the product is commercially endorsed by doctors, its safety and efficacy are questionable. A lawsuit was launched against Hydroxycut in 2003, in which Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon claimed the product's advertising was false and dangerous; the suit was settled out of court for $100,000. In 2009, Hydroxycut was revealed to have severe side effects on the liver and heart. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning, and Iovate initiated a recall.

  1. FDA Report and Recall

    • The 2009 FDA report cited 23 instances of serious injuries in Hydroxycut users. One man died from liver failure, another needed a liver transplant, and others reported severe liver failure and jaundice. Other users suffered from seizures and cardiovascular problems. According to the FDA, these users were taking the recommended dose of Hydroxycut, and the FDA urged consumers to discontinue use of all Hydroxycut products. On May 1, 2009, Iovate Health Sciences recalled their entire Hydroxycut weight-loss line of products, except for Hydroxycut Cleanse: 14 products in all.

    Potential Causes

    • All recalled Hydroxycut products contain an ingredient derived from the Indian fruit Garcinia cambogia, which has been identified as a cause of hepatoxicity in Hydroxycut users. The World Journal of Gastroenterology published a report of research directly attributing Hydroxycut-induced liver failure to the plant. In traditional Indian medicine, Garcinia cambogia is not used for weight loss but for the treatment of edema, constipation. and intestinal parasites. Because Hydroxycut is considered a dietary supplement and not a drug, Garcinia cambogia did not have to pass FDA approval to be used as a weight-loss tool.

    Lawsuits

    • In Wisconsin, on June 8, 2009, a man named Marques Parke filed a lawsuit against Iovate Health Sciences and Wal-Mart for marketing and selling Hydroxycut. After taking Hydroxycut for only three weeks, Parke was diagnosed with hepatitis and jaundice; two weeks later, his hepatitis had progressed to an acute stage, and he was diagnosed with necrosis of the liver. Many other lawsuits have been filed since the recall, and class action suits are reported in progress.

    Symptoms

    • Reports on Hydroxycut's effect on the liver suggest that damage can occur for months after use of the supplement is discontinued. Liver failure can be identified by the following symptoms: yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes; discolored urine or stool; fatigue; itching and loss of appetite.

    Hydroxycut Advanced

    • By July 2009, two months after the recall, a new Hydroxycut product appeared on the market: Hydroxycut Advanced. The FDA had required that Iovate Health Systems submit any reformulations of the product for a safety evaluation, and they issued a statement that "all of the product's herbal ingredients and extracts have been replaced in the new formulation." Thus, Hydroxycut Advanced is free of Garcinia cambogia.

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