Hydroxycut™

Hydroxycut™ was originally conceived of as a dietary supplement that would facilitate weight loss. ¹  The manufacturer, MuscleTech, SA of South Africa, states that Hydroxcut will help the consumer lose weight by curbing appetite and reducing the ability of the body to convert carbohydrates into fat.  Hydroxycut is also advertised to increase energy and "workout intensity."  However, weight loss is not necessarily due to exercise according to MuscleTech, SA which, on its web site, claims that "What's truly amazing is that Hydroxycut can work on sedentary people."  Further, the company suggests that the drug is safe for those who do not exercise.  Read the claim here.

According to the manufacturer's web site, the drug (described as a food supplement to avoid scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) is to be taken in two doses, one before breakfast and one before lunch. ²  A full dose is defined as four capsules before breakfast and four capsules before lunch, with a maximum of twelve capsules per day.  Consumers are warned not to take a dose of the medicine within five hours of going to sleep.  There are also many other restrictions on the use of Hydroxycut. 

Below is the warning statement from the Hydroxycut™ advertisement page on the MuscleTech, SA corporate web site.  No changes have been made to this text.

Do not use if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you have been treated for or if you have been diagnosed withhigh blood pressure, heart, liver, thyroid, or psychiatric disease, diabetes, anemia, nervousness, anxiety, depression, seizure disorder, stroke, or difficulty in urination due to prostate enlargement. Consult your doctor if you are taking any prescription drugs. Discontinue use and consult your health care professional if sleeplessness, tremors, dizziness, nervousness, headache, heart palpitations, or tingling sensations occur. Not intended for use by person under the age of 18. The maximum dosage of ephedrine for a healthy adult is o more than 100 mg in a 24 hour period for not more than 12 weeks. Improper use of this product may be hazardous to a person's health.

Because this drug is categorized as a food supplement, it is not scrutinized in the strict manner as are pharmaceuticals.  Due to this lack of control, the side-effects of Hydroxycut are not yet fully known.  At this time, potential symptoms of Hydroxycut™ and similar weight-loss product use include:

• Psychosis schizophrenia (source: FDA SN/AEMS Database ³)
  • View FDA SN/AEMS Report
• Increased heart rate
• Tachycardia and heart palpitations
• Acute renal failure
• Respiratory distress
• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown)
• Sleeplessness
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Anxiety and tremors
• Nervousness
• Dizziness

For a review of some harmful side effects of Hydroxycut use, and some debate on the subject, please review the following comments.

Comments from NutritionalSupplements.com - Read Here

If you need assistance with a Hydroxycut™-related injury please contact us.  It should also be noted that, while this site focuses on the use of Hydroxycut, there are many similarly designed drugs which may have similar problems associated with their use.

NAME	DESCRIPTION
MuscleTech, SA	Company page of this South African company.
Hydroxycut.com	Product site for Hydroxycut from MuscleTech, SA.
Hydroxycut™ - Secondary Site	Secondary product site for Hydroxycut on the MuscleTech corporate site.
Food and Drug Administration	Internet site for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
SN/AEMS	FDA Special Nutritionals Adverse Event Monitoring System (SN/AEMS).
MedWatch	The FDA's MedWatch program.
InteliHealth	Searchable directory from InteliHealth, an Aetna Company.
Nutritional Supplements.com	The purpose of his site is to bring awareness to users; includes reviews and answers to questions about Hydroxycut use.

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1. Hydroxycut™ and MuscleTech, SA  information from the MuscleTech web site was obtained from review on March 11, 2002.

2. Nutritional and dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  However, Hydroxycut™ and similar products contain drugs which are regulated in their separate form and in pharmaceuticals.  Even though they can be just as dangerous, they are not regulated in the same manner by the FDA when sold as ingredients in nutritional and dietary supplements.

3. FDA Disclaimer from the FDA SN/AEMS Database:

What do I need to keep in mind when using information from the SN/AEMS? Reporting is voluntary and the information is as reported by the consumer or health care professional. This means that:

• Only adverse events reported to FDA will be in the SN/AEMS. If an event occurred but is not reported to FDA, it will not be in the database. Absence of information does not necessarily mean a particular product or ingredient has not been or is not likely to be associated with an adverse event.
• There is no certainty that a reported adverse event can be attributed to a particular product or ingredient. The available information may not be complete enough to make this determination.
• The total number of adverse events cannot be used to estimate the rate of occurrence in the population. Not all adverse events are reported, and there are no reliable data on population use patterns.
• Reporting of an adverse event may be affected by many factors, including length of time a product or ingredient has been marketed or publicity.
• Comparisons of the safety of one product versus another cannot be directly obtained from these data. The available information may not be complete enough to make this comparison.
• The inclusion of a product as a special nutritional in the SN/AEMS does NOT necessarily represent its legal/regulatory status. The available information may not be complete enough to make this determination.

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