Hydroxycut

[master splinter]

"In a way" I am a lot of things. Hahaha.

Cheers Doc.

[doc]

In a way, you are correct. Ephedra was taken off the market because it, and ephedrine, were used to make crystal meth, which became a far more serious community addiction. Ephedra and it's sympathomimetic drug cousins are effective for sinus infection because they help open the sinus ostial openings by way of shrinking the mucosal layer, thus allowing the infected material to flush out of the sinus cavity. Swallowing this stuff doesn't do much; inhaling it might contribute to lung infections.

[master splinter]

One reason i loved ephedra when it was legal was, one: it was stronger then coffee, but not quite as ugly or disgusting as meth. And two: If i was developing a sinus infection i could pop a few and be better by the next morning. Its very effective at dilating the all that stuff up there, and letting that infected mucous out, so that it doesnt spread to the rest of the body.

I think thats how a sinus infection turns into a lung infection. It traps itself in by inflaming the sinus passages then proceeds to multiply and travel down the larynx and vocal chords, into the lungs. The deeper it gets the more trouble you are in.

Am i on the right track doc?

[doc]

They took the Ephedra out quite a while ago. You find Ephedra in a lot of TCM medications; it causes some bad hypertensive crisis and cardiac problems. I have not yet investigated the stuff that is in the current Hydroxycut. I looked it up and did not recognize anything (it's all some sort of herbal stuff that I don't know).

Not sure the FDA knows why this herbal stuff causes liver damage. I'll look into it more tomw.

[master splinter]

Me and friends used to take them for fun back in the day. I wonder what kind of havoc they have wreaked on our bodies... I feel FINE. lol

[zachsan]

I always assumed all of these super weight loss drugs caused liver or kidney damage. They're basically speed after all. I thought they were for people so desperate to be skinny they didn't mind destroying their internal organs.

[doc]

From the FDA, a recall concerning liver damage with a dietary supplement:

FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products
Dietary Supplements Linked to One Death; Pose Risk of Liver Injury

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries. Iovate has agreed to recall Hydroxycut products from the market.


The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.


Liver injury, although rare, was reported by patients at the doses of Hydroxycut recommended on the bottle. Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite.

“The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk. Adverse events are rare, but exist. Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products,” said Linda Katz, M.D., interim chief medical officer of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.