May 1st, 2009 — The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about Hydroxycut, the popular fat-loss supplement. Citing 23 reports of liver damage, one death caused by liver failure, and a slew of other medical problems attributed to the diet aid, the FDA recommended an immediate cessation of the use of Hydroxycut.
Iovate Health Sciences Inc., the Canadian manufacturer that has been marketing Hydroxycut for close to a decade, voluntarily recalled 14 products bearing the Hydroxycut brand name.
There is no word from the FDA about which of the ingredients in Hydroxycut are responsible for the liver damage and other health issues, but the Associated Press is reporting on a tenuous link between hydroxycitric acid and liver damage.
In the past, Hydroxycut gained a large market share by using ephedra, caffeine, and asprin as its active ingredients. This so-called ECA Stack was a potent and effective metabolism booster. However, the US Government eventually banned the use of ephedra in unregulated dietary supplements, and the Hydroxycut formula was changed on several occasions subsequent to the ban.