On the front page of its Business section, the New York Times (2/10, B1, Singer) reports that, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “weight-loss capsules, called StarCaps and promoted as natural dietary supplements using papaya, could be hazardous to your health.” The FDA “has found [that] the capsules also contained a potent pharmaceutical drug called bumetanide which can have serious side effects.” Furthermore, “in a continuing investigation that has prompted consumer warnings and recalls by some distributors, the FDA has determined that dozens of weight-loss supplements, most of them imported from China, contain hidden and potentially harmful drugs.” Michael Levy, the director of the agency’s division of New Drugs and Labeling Compliance, said, “A large percentage of these products either contain dangerous undeclared ingredients or they might be outright fraudulent on the ingredients and have no effect at all.” The Times adds that “in the coming weeks, the agency plans to issue a longer list of brands to avoid that are spiked with drugs.”
Several years ago I heard that one outfit was putting tapeworm eggs in their diet pills and having some success. Theywere made to stop this practice.
Herman
We had a lady doctor who used this chinese herbs for a year to lose weight,she ended in fulminant hepatic failure.
I’VE HEARD THAT LEECHES HAVE BEEN USED BY SOME PEOPLE TO LOSE WEIGHT.
HERMAN
I’d be wary of anything that has a weird name, tagline, or contains ingredients that are inconsistent with weight loss, etc. Papaya? Haha. One tagline from some chinese tea said:“Enjoy the super benefits of slimness”
the only thing I’ve taken was Hydroxycut Hardcore. I lost some weight, but did better with just good ol’ exercise and eating right. The popular supplements will get your heart rate up, but I just feel they’re fancy placebos.
Anybody ever tried fen phen. Had a friend that tried it a few years ago. He’s not doing so wll. Of course, it could have been something else.
Herman
Anybody tried Acai Berry for weight loss? If so, what’s your experience? Thanks.