Dieters warned over weight loss pills

Dieters have been warned to stop taking the best-selling weight loss supplement, Hydroxycut, after it was linked to 23 cases of serious liver damage and one death.

Retailers should also withdraw certain Hydroxycut products following a warning from the US Food and Drug Administration, the Food Standards Agency said.

The health food chain Holland & Barrett, which alerted the FSA to the problem, was last night removing the supplement from its shelves.

Hydroxycut products have been withdrawn from sale in the USA, Finland and Canada and Ireland has advised consumers not to use them.

The Canadian company Iovate Health Sciences makes Hydroxycut, which is marketed for weight loss and energy-enhancement.

The US Food and Drug Administration said: "Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries. The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant.

"One death due to liver failure has been reported. Liver injury, although rare, was reported by patients at the doses of Hydroxycut recommended on the bottle.

"Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite."

The FDA said other health problems included seizures, cardiovascular disorders, and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.

The Food Standards Agency said there had been no reported illnesses linked to the products in the UK.

"Hydroxycut products are marketed as the biggest selling 'weight-loss supplement' in North America, and both UK and USA formulae are available on the UK market with similar packaging and a number of common ingredients.

“The specific ingredient or dosage which might be causing health problems has not yet been identified," it said.

"However, as a precautionary measure, the FSA is warning people not to take them."