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'''Hydroxycut''' is a [[nutritional supplement]] manufactured and marketed by ''Iovate Health Sciences Inc.'', designed to help consumers [[weight loss|lose weight]]. "An estimated 15% of the US population uses dietary supplements for weight loss, and Hydroxycut is the top selling product in this class and market, with roughly a million units sold per year."<ref name="Chain Drug Rev.">Weight control a high priority. ''Chain Drug Rev.'' 2008;30:30.</ref><ref name=Lobb>Ano Lobb. [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2668789 Hepatoxicity associated with weight-loss supplements: A case for better post-marketing surveillance.] ''World J Gastroenterol.'' 2009 April 14; 15(14): 1786–1787, doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1786.</ref>
'''Hydroxycut''' is a [[nutritional supplement]] manufactured and marketed by ''Iovate Health Sciences Inc.'', designed to help consumers [[weight loss|lose weight]]. "An estimated 15% of the US population uses dietary supplements for weight loss, and Hydroxycut is the top selling product in this class and market, with roughly a million units sold per year."<ref name="Chain Drug Rev.">Weight control a high priority. ''Chain Drug Rev.'' 2008;30:30.</ref><ref name=Lobb>Ano Lobb. [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2668789 Hepatoxicity associated with weight-loss supplements: A case for better post-marketing surveillance.] ''World J Gastroenterol.'' 2009 April 14; 15(14): 1786–1787, doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1786.</ref>


Its [[efficacy]] is considered questionable.<ref name=NYT_2003>{{cite news | author= | title=Studies of Dietary Supplements Come Under Growing Scrutiny | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CE2D6143BF930A15755C0A9659C8B63&pagewanted=print | work=The New York Times | date=June 23, 2003 | accessdate=2009-05-02}}</ref> On May 1, 2009, the US [[FDA]] issued a warning after some Hyroxycut products were linked to liver damage and at least one death. The manufacturer then recalled the products.<ref>{{cite news | author=Associated Press | title=FDA warns dieters: Stop Hydroxycut use now | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30518843 | work=MSNBC | date=May 1 2009 | accessdate=2009-05-02}}</ref>
Its [[efficacy]] is considered questionable.<ref name=NYT_2003>{{cite news | author= | title=Studies of Dietary Supplements Come Under Growing Scrutiny | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CE2D6143BF930A15755C0A9659C8B63&pagewanted=print | work=The New York Times | date=June 23, 2003 | accessdate=2009-05-02}}</ref> On May 1, 2009, the US [[FDA]] issued a warning after some Hydroxycut products were linked to liver damage and at least one death. The manufacturer then recalled the products.<ref>{{cite news | author=Associated Press | title=FDA warns dieters: Stop Hydroxycut use now | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30518843 | work=MSNBC | date=May 1 2009 | accessdate=2009-05-02}}</ref>


== Background ==
== Background ==

Revision as of 19:41, 7 May 2009

Hydroxycut is a nutritional supplement manufactured and marketed by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., designed to help consumers lose weight. "An estimated 15% of the US population uses dietary supplements for weight loss, and Hydroxycut is the top selling product in this class and market, with roughly a million units sold per year."[1][2]

Its efficacy is considered questionable.[3] On May 1, 2009, the US FDA issued a warning after some Hydroxycut products were linked to liver damage and at least one death. The manufacturer then recalled the products.[4]

Background

It is sold at conventional retailers, online retailers, and direct television marketing. Sold in the United States without ephedra, it advertised under a marketing slogan of a product that increased metabolism and reduced hunger cravings. Its primary ingredients include Garcinia cambogia, Gymnema sylvestre, chromium polynicotinate, caffeine, green tea. Like many such nutraceuticals, its efficacy is considered questionable.[3] Studies suggest ingredients in the Hydroxycut formula may help obese patients lose up to 4.5 times the weight than they would with just diet and exercise alone. This is supported by two 8-week studies in which all groups followed a diet and exercise plan, subjects using ingredients similar to those in Hydroxycut lost, on average, significantly more weight than subjects who were using a placebo (14.99 vs. 3.06 lbs and 12.54 vs. 3.53 lbs).[5][6]

Hydroxycut promotes itself as being created and endorsed by doctors. Television advertisements for Hydroxycut feature Jon Marshall, a graduate of Midwestern University's osteopathic medical school, and still in residency. Hydroxycut is also endorsed by its formulator, Marvin Heuer, Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Florida, and Chief Scientific Officer of Iovate Health Sciences, the company that markets the product.

In recent years, Hydroxycut had become available in several forms and formulas that did not contain ephedra. They included:

  • Hydroxycut
  • Caffeine-Free Hydroxycut – similar to regular Hydroxycut but designed for caffeine-sensitive people.
  • Hydroxycut 24 - an around-the-clock type of weight-loss product that includes regular Hydroxycut for the daytime and the caffeine-free for the evening.
  • Hydroxycut Hardcore – a weight-loss supplement for bodybuilders or other sportspersons.
  • Hydroxycut Max! – a weight-loss supplement for female fitness competitors or other sportswomen.

2003 lawsuit for false advertising

On March 27, 2003, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon filed a lawsuit in St. Louis against Hydroxycut's manufacturer MuscleTech Research and Development, Inc stating that claims Hydroxycut was "clinically proven" to be a "fat-burner" were false, specifically:[7]

"The product is not "clinically proven" to be a "fat-burner," as MuscleTech claims. MuscleTech's own study showed that Hydroxycut has no efficacy as compared to placebo with the possible exception of an appetite-suppressing effect. Moreover, the serious adverse health risks of Hydroxycut with ephedra – including death – were not adequately described or disclosed in marketing and labelling of the product."

Nixon also alleged that the "before" and "after" photographs were misleading, and that one woman's "before" photo was deceptive because she was recently pregnant.[8] MuscleTech paid $100,000 to settle the case while denying any wrongdoing.[9]

Likely underestimated incidence of danger

An April 14, 2009 study summed up the situation:

"Dara et al report on a case series of two patients with hepatotoxicity associated with the weight-loss supplement Hydroxycut, so named because it contains potentially hepatoxic hydroxycitric acid derived from the tropical fruit Garcinia cambogia. Two earlier case reports in 2005 were also referenced. To this count should be added two additional case reports of hepatoxicity associated with Hydroxycut. An estimated 15% of the US population uses dietary supplements for weight loss, and Hydroxycut is the top selling product in this class and market, with roughly a million units sold per year. With such wide usage, these six cases may underestimate the true incidence of hepatoxicity by several degrees of magnitude."[2]

The tropical fruit Garcinia cambogia is also known as the Malabar Tamarind.

FDA warning and subsequent recall

On May 1, 2009, the FDA issued a warning to consumers to stop using Hydroxycut products, due to reports of liver problems associated with the use of Hydroxycut, and at least one death.[10]

The manufacturers of Hydroxycut have published a webpage to address this recall available at http://www.hydroxycutinformation.com/

References

  1. ^ Weight control a high priority. Chain Drug Rev. 2008;30:30.
  2. ^ a b Ano Lobb. Hepatoxicity associated with weight-loss supplements: A case for better post-marketing surveillance. World J Gastroenterol. 2009 April 14; 15(14): 1786–1787, doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1786.
  3. ^ a b "Studies of Dietary Supplements Come Under Growing Scrutiny". The New York Times. June 23, 2003. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  4. ^ Associated Press (May 1 2009). "FDA warns dieters: Stop Hydroxycut use now". MSNBC. Retrieved 2009-05-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Preuss HG, Bagchi D, Bagchi M, Rao CVS, Dey DK and Satyanarayana S (2004). "Effects of a natural extract of (–)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA-SX) and a combination of HCA-SX plus niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre extract on weight loss". Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 6: 171–180.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Preuss HG, Bagchi D, Bagchi M, Rao CVS, Satyanarayana S and Dey DK (2004). "Efficacy of a novel, natural extract of (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA-SX) and a combination of HCA-SX, niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre extract in weight management in human volunteers: A pilot study". Nutrition Research. 24: 45–58.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Nixon sues maker of Hydroxycut for misrepresenting safety concerns of ephedra, weight loss effectiveness, Attorney General's News Release, March 27, 2003
  8. ^ NIXON vs. MUSCLETECH[dead link], Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri
  9. ^ Distributor of diet supplement that contained ephedra pays Missouri $100,000 under agreement with Attorney General Nixon, Attorney General's News Release, May 4, 2004
  10. ^ FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products
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