Weight Loss Products: Warning Expands

In December, the FDA warned about more than 25 weight loss products that contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may be risky.

Now, that warning list includes 72 illegal weight loss products that the FDA wants consumers to avoid. Those products contain any of the following undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients:

• fenproporex -- a controlled substance not approved for marketing in the U.S.
• fluoxetine -- an antidepressant available by prescription only
• bumetanide -- a potent diuretic available by prescription only
• furosemide -- a potent diuretic available by prescription only
• rimonabant -- a drug not approved for marketing in the U.S.
• cetilistat -- an experimental obesity drug not approved for marketing in the U.S.
• phenytoin -- an antiseizure medication available by prescription only
• phenolphthalein -- a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer-causing agent that is not approved for marketing in the U.S.

The health risks posed by these products can be very serious and include high blood pressure, seizures, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), palpitations, heart attack, and stroke.