By Dr. Mark Wiley

Several months ago the FDA warned Americans to stop using the weight loss/body building product known as Hydroxycut. Soon thereafter, it sent a letter to the manufacturer, Muscle Tech, to pull its products from the market. Which it did. So what happened?

Well, 23 reports of adverse health conditions directly linked to liver malfunction. That’s right, nearly two-dozen reports of consumers experiencing serious liver issues, including jaundice, elevated liver enzyme count, the need for liver transplant. Moreover, some of these people experienced seizures, cardiovascular disorders and a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure, called rhabdomyolysis. There was also the very sad death of a 17-year-old boy.

You might think that only one death and two-dozen adverse health reports in relation to millions of bottles sold is inconsequential. And you would be right, from the standpoint of what is considered “safe” by the laws that govern prescription medications, where it is not uncommon for 20 side-affects to be listed and dozens of deaths to occur with the product still being prescribed. So then what’s my point?

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Well, this Hydroxycut episode is another example of the government (who sleeps with Big Pharma) slapping down natural approaches to health and wellness. And it needs to stop! The use of Ephedra is one example. In small doses it has been used in China for centuries to treat ailments of the lungs, like asthma. But its use was taken out of context by U.S. manufacturers and used in high doses as a weight-loss supplement. Deaths ensued and the product was outlawed… needlessly. How to proceed?

My suggestions are simple:

1) Consumers should only take the prescribed amount of a natural supplement to avoid potential side affects;

2) Manufacturers need to be more vigilant in their dosages and applications of natural products, as these are safe only in certain ranges.

When all is said and done, the long-term use of natural supplements is far safer and less risky than their synthetic pharma counterparts. Just proceed with respect for yourself and the intended use of the products.