FSAI warning over dietary supplement

A DIETARY supplement that was sold in Irish stores may cause liver damage and consumers should stop using it immediately, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said yesterday.

The FSAI also advised retailers to not stock the Hydroxycut range of products, which are typically used for weight loss. In all, 14 Hydroxycut products have been declared unsafe, although no adverse reactions have yet been reported here. However, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on May 1 it had received 23 reports over seven years of consumers having experienced serious liver-related problems coinciding with the time they were taking Hydroxycut-branded products, which resulted in their withdrawal.

The Holland and Barrett health food chain here said it had stopped selling any Hydroxycut products from May 1 after the announcement. The FSAI said it was only informed of the FDA move on May 28.