Ten weight-loss products banned

Products available in the market as diet supplements for weitgh loss have major components of cardiovascular and psychiatric side-effects.

This came to light in a recent survey conducted in Abu Dhabi as reported by Gulf News. The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) has recommended that ten such productes to be taken off the shelves.

The authorities have studied 82 such products which pose health risk to the consumers, including Hydroxycut Hardcore, Lipo 6, Dymaburn Xtreme and Redline. Yohimbine was one of the components in these products. This substance is banned in the UAE by a ministerial resolution in 1988 as it causes cardiovascular side effects, heart failure and even death.

In addition, one product also contained ephedra — which can lead to psychiatric symptoms, palpitation and death — while another had tryptophan, which causes a potentially fatal muscle disorder that could lead to death.

According to the HAAD survey, other products for weight loss that are still available were found to have inconclusive or non-existent results with regard to weight loss. Among them were products that had chromium picolinate, caffeine, green tea, garcinia and guarana as active ingredients.

The drugs were easily available at health stores, pharmacies, health clubs, gyms, and with alternative medicine practitioners and direct distributors.

92 per cent of the products studied were not registered with the Ministry of Health, while 97 per cent included one or more health warnings on their labels. In addition, only 53 per cent had specific weight-loss claims on their labels.

"While many of these items can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, others are nearly ineffective in helping individuals lose weight. People who start taking these supplements, even if it is harmless, start relying solely on them without following up with exercise and a balanced diet, and this is always counter-productive," Dr. Kurian said.

Products to be withdrawn

- Hydroxycut Hardcore

- Hydroxycut Max for Women

- Redline

- Lipo 6

- Lipo 6 Hers

- Lipo 6X

- Lipo 6 Black

- Xenadrine RFA-X

- Dymaburn Xtreme

- Atro-phex

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