10 things your nutritionist won't tell you

http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/rip-offs/10-things-your-nutritionist-won-t-tell-you/

Hydroxycut Recall

One death and two cases of people requiring a liver transplant have been linked to taking the weight loss aid, Hydroxycut. The FDA issued a recall as of May 1, 2009 for over a dozen of the hydroxycut products. The manufacturers have agreed to withdraw these products from the market, citing their concern for safety. A few hydroxycut supplements are not involved with the reported incidents and do remain on the market. Recalled products include the following.

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Capsules
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Capsules
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural

Although millions of customers have taken hydroxycut products over the past 10 years, recent reports of liver injury have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to go forth with the recall. Twenty three cases of elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and seizures and cardiovascular incidents have been called in to the agency, which relies on self-reporting for products not regulated by the FDA. It is not known how many others may have health problems which they neither associated with the product, nor called in to the FDA to report.

A major roadblock to finding safe weight loss supplements is the fact that herbs and other compounds are not defined as either a "food" or a "drug" and thereby escape regulation by the federal agency that monitors tehse types of products for safety. Caution should be used when choosing dietary supplements not approved by the FDA or other reputable agencies, remembering that claims that sound too good to be true . . . probably are.