FDA Warning on Weight Loss Pills

January 2008

Jan 09 2009 UPDATE – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded its alert to include 41 additional diet products. The agency has found a total of 69 diet pills that contain undeclared ingredients that can pose a health risk to consumers.

The FDA has not revealed how many reports it has received linked to the unapproved pills but says that the number is probably lower than the actual total of adverse events. The administration's website has a complete list of the products included in the alert.

Dec 22 2008 ORIGINAL ALERT –The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public about the risks of more than 25 unapproved weight loss pills. FDA analysis found undeclared ingredients in the products that can pose serious health threats.

The dangerous ingredients found in the weight loss pills were sibutramine, rimonabant, phenytoin, and phenolphthalein. The ingredients have been linked to a variety of dangerous side effects, including cancer, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, seizures, tachycardia, palpitations, suicidal thoughts, depression, and even death.

The products are sold in some retail stores and online, and the FDA is recommending that consumers stop taking them and consult with a healthcare professional. Some are marketed as "dietary supplements," "natural," or "herbal" but are illegal and potentially dangerous.

The FDA is requesting recalls of the following products: