Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products.

Linda Katz, M.D.
Interim Chief Medical Officer
FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

I saw an ad for Hydroxycut in a magazine this morning and was wondering about the safety and claims made by the product. Another one of those…”looks too good to be true” and “buyer be ware.” I guess it was only been a matter of time that something would come up.

Today the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued an official release warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products.  To date 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. In addition one death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA.

About Hydroxycut Products
Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight-loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names. The products are prodiced by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y.

Return Products to Place of Purchase
Consumers who have any of the products involved in the recall are advised to stop using them and to return them to the place of purchase. The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. The products contain a variety of ingredients and herbal extracts.

List of Hydroxycut Products being Recalled:
The list of products being recalled by Iovate currently includes:

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
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

More on Dietary Supplements

For more information on Dietary Supplements, see the page on FDA 101: Dietary Supplements.

Sources:

FDA. May 1, 2009. FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products. FDA News.
FDA. May 1, 2009. Hydroxycut Products. FDA Products.

Michelle Obama shared her thoughts on the garden:

We want to use it as a point of education, to talk about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food, and how you can take that food and make it part of a healthy diet.

Michelle Obama

This video shows twenty-six elementary schoolchildren wielded shovels, rakes, pitchforks and wheelbarrows to help first lady Michelle Obama break ground on a produce and herb garden on the White House grounds.

Michael Pollen, author of Omnivores Dilemma and advocate for agricultural reform had this to say about the garden.

A garden like this is one of those small gestures that is powerfully symbolic…it teaches important habits of mind — helping people to reconnect with their food, eat more healthily on a budget and recognize that we’re less dependent on the industrial food chain, and cheap fossil fuel, than we assume.

Sources:

Barrett K, Hartman B. March 20, 2009. Foodies Celebrate White House Veggie Garden: Obama’s Shovel-Ready Project Nurtures the Sustainable Food Movement Amid Some Criticism. Abc News.

Stanglin D. March 20, 2009. First lady breaks ground on White House veggie garden. USA Today.

The Environment Working Groups Guide is now in its 5th edition. It features the 12 fruits and veggies with the most and least pesticides so you’ll know which ones to buy organic, and which conventionally-grown ones are okay when organic isn’t available.

You can get your own copy of a printer friendly version by visiting the Environmental Working Group’s website.

Lowest in Pesticides (ones to buy)

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Asparagus
• Kiwi
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Eggplant

Highest in Pesticides (ones to watch)

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Grapes (Imported)
• Pears
• Spinach
• Potatoes

The Full List: 43 Fruits & Veggies

Note: The Environmental Working Group ranked a total of 44 different fruits and vegetables but grapes are listed twice because they looked at both domestic and imported samples.

View Full Data Set

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce by Environmental Working Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Federal health regulators reprimanded Coca-Cola for placing inappropriate nutritional claims on its Diet Coke Plus soft drink. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to the company, objecting to the product’s labeling, which describes the drink as “Diet Coke with Vitamins and Minerals.”

The FDA has pointed out that the Diet Coke Plus is misbranded. Federal regulators said the beverage does not have enough nutrients to justify the use of the word “plus” in its name.

According to the regulations, foods labeled “plus” must have at least 10 percent more nutrients than comparable products.

Additionally, the FDA said it is inappropriate to add extra nutrients to “snack foods such as carbonated beverages.”

Source:

Perrone. M. December 23, 2008. FDA warns Coca-Cola over nutritional claims. Associated Press.

Estimates figure that about 60 percent of people ages 65 and older take an aspirin at least once a week, some on the recommendation of their doctor (to prevent heart disease) some now.

This common, over-the-counter medication can cause some serious side effects. Regular use should be discussed with a doctor.

Aspirin is routinely recommended by the American Heart Association for people who’ve had a heart attack, stroke caused by blood clot, unstable angina, or “ministrokes.” Further more the American Heart Association recommends that people who have yet to experience an event but who are at increased risk because of family history, say, may also stand to gain from aspirin therapy.

Here are some things you may not know about Aspirin.

1. Aspirin would have a hard time getting approved by the FDA if it were to come on the market today.

2. Aspirin may be less effective in women. Research published in BMC Medicine reported that earlier studies showing a large benefit in men taking aspirin to reduce the rates of fatal heart attack,  did not hold for women.

3. Aspirin use more or less doubles the risk of a severe gastrointestinal event putting users at risk for ulcers and bleeds with prolonged use.

4. Aspirin use may not protect against heart disease and stroke in nearly 30 percent of people who are resistant to Aspirin’s effects.

5. Aspirin can throw off test results for prostate cancer. Men who regularly used aspirin and other NSAIDs had about 10 percent lower levels of the prostate marker prostate-specific antigen which may hinder the detection of prostate cancer.

Some Positive Effects of Taking Aspirin

• Cuts the risk of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.
• Reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancers.
• Lowers a woman’s risk of breast cancer.
• Offers some protection against Alzheimer’s disease.
• Protects against Parkinson’s disease.
• Helps prevent strokes—unless you also take ibuprofen.

While Aspirin has many benefits, it may also have some negative side effects.  Whether or not use use Aspirin should be discussed with a doctor or your health care provider.

Sources:

Baldauf S. October 28, 2008. 12 Things to Know about Aspirin. US News.

Lowe D. November 17, 2005. Aspirin: Not Approvable: Why many familiar medicines might flunk FDA approval today. Medical Progress Today.

Image Source: Microsoft Images.

In both cases, the aspirin has been combined with a dietary supplement into a single pill.

Aspirin is often recommended by doctors to treat general aches and pains and in small doses (baby aspirin) as a blood thinner for patients with heart disease.

The two products in question:

• Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage (Bayer Heart Advantage)–aspirin combined with phytosterols (a plant-based supplement also known as plant sterols)
• Bayer Women’s Low Dose Aspirin + Calcium (Bayer Women’s)–aspirin combined with calcium

These product formulations are not approved by FDA. The FDA has issued a warning letter to the Bayer Corporation.

Why the Warning?

Bayer has been marketing these products as pain relievers and as treatments for heart disease and osteoporosis. They claim that Bayer Heart Advantage helps in “reducing the risks of heart disease.”

The labeling for Bayer Women’s also claims that the product helps “fight” osteoporosis.

Treatments for heart disease and osteoporosis must be reviewed by government scientists and cannot be sold over the counter.

In addition the FDA has determined that these products have inadequate and misleading directions and warnings. Both products lack adequate directions and warnings for their safe use by consumers.

According to ABC News these results were discovered by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has been investigating drug advertising and the FDA’s oversight of pharmaceutical manufacturers for over a year.

Sources:

October 28, 2009. FDA Warns Bayer Over Claims on 2 Aspirin Products: Federal Regulators Call Health Claims Unsubstantiated. ABC News.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. October 28, 2009. FDA Warns Bayer About Two Unapproved Aspirin Products. Consumer Updates.

Image Source: Esra Su. Aspirin. Royalty Free Use.

For a quarter, you can keep a child from going blind due to Vitamin A deficiency.

Over the course of four years, when children are most vulnerable, the total expense for Vitamin Angels is $1.00, whichs covers the cost of two high dose vitamin A and anti-parasitic supplements given each year to a child from the ages of 2 to 5.

Operation 20/20

Vitamin Angels is committed to eradicating childhood blindness due to Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) on the planet by the year 2020. Operation 20/20 is the first major step in this global campaign, which launched in 2007 18 countries.

Vitamin Angels

Vitamin Angels is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing vital nutrition in the form of supplements, to developing countries, communities and individuals in need. Vitamin Angels has set its sights on the issue of childhood blindness, with plans to eliminate childhood blindness by the year 2020 through the systematic distribution of vitamin A to at-risk children.

More information: Vitamin Angels.

In the new clinical report, “Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents,” published in the November issue of Pediatrics, it is recommended that all children receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning in the first few days of life. The previous recommendation, issued in 2003, called for 200 IU per day beginning in the first two months of life.

The New Recommendations include:

• Breastfed and partially breastfed infants should be supplemented with 400 IU a day of vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life.
• All non-breastfed infants, as well as older children, who are consuming less than one quart per day of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk, should receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU a day.
• Adolescents who do not obtain 400 IU of vitamin D per day through foods should receive a supplement containing that amount.
• Children with increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, such as those taking certain medications, may need higher doses of vitamin D.

Preventing Rickets and Osteomalacia

Sufficient amounts of Vitamin D helps prevent rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, a disease characterized by a failure of bone tissue to properly mineralize, resulting in soft bones and skeletal deformities. Rickets continues to be reported in the United States in infants and adolescents. The greatest risk for rickets is in exclusively breastfed infants, particularly among African American infants, who are not supplemented with 400 IU of vitamin D a day.

In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, resulting in weak muscles and bones.

Vitamin D from the Sun

For many people, eating vitamin D-fortified foods and being exposed to sunlight are needed to maintaining a healthy vitamin D status.

Given enough sun exposure the body is able to make Vitamin D. However, the AAP advises keeping infants out of direct sunlight and having them wear protective clothing and sunscreen to protect against skin cancer.

This extensive use of sunscreens and placement of children in daycare programs, where they often have less outdoor activity and sun exposure has also contributed to less Vitamin D.

The general recommendations for sun exposure are three 15 minute intervals a week. It is difficult to determine a safe amount of sunlight exposure to synthesize vitamin D in a given individual.

Good Food Sources for Vitamin D

Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D is also being added to Orange Juice.

• Vitamin D Fortified Milk – Four cups daily to meet the requirement.
• Cereals (fortified)
• Oily fish – tuna, mackerel and sardines
• Beef Liver
• Cheese
• Egg Yolks

Sources:

American Medical Association. October 14, 2008. New guidelines suggest children should get twice the daily dosage of vitamin D previously recommended. AMA Morning Rounds.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Vitamin D Deficiency Clinical Report. Patient FAQs.

American Academy of Pediatrics. October 13, 2008. New Guidelines Double the Amount of Recommended Vitamin D.

Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. National Institutes of Health.

Milk, Sunshine Each Day Keep the Doctor Away. Washington Post.

I thought that these findings are pretty interesting and timely considering that just last week my husband had been in to see the doctor, who recommended that he take Glucosamine for an old knee injury.

I had been advising him not to waste money on buying the supplements until we looked at what the research had to say about using the supplements.

In this new study rsearchers from the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) team reported that the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, together or alone, appeared to fare no better than placebo in slowing loss of cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee. Nine GAIT centers recruited patients for the study. Their results were published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

The study which was funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health confirms other findings showing the supplements have few or no effects.

My husband’s injury has been primary a ligament injury/ligament strain, rather than a joint problem, so wouldn’t have been a candidate for using the supplements to start with.

Sources:

NCCAM. September 29, 2008. Dietary Supplements Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin Fare No Better than Placebo in Slowing Structural Damage of Knee Osteoarthritis. NIH News, National Institutes of Health.

Reuters. September 29, 2008. Glucosamine and chondroitin don’t slow arthritis.

NCCAM. Questions and Answers: NIH Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial Primary Study. NIH.

NCCAM. Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) Primary and Ancillary Study Results. NIH.

Sawitzke AD, Shi H, Finco MF, et al. The Effect of Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin Sulfate on the Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Report from the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2008; 58(10):3183–3191.

Image Source:

Adam Ciesielski. Knee xray. Royaly Free Use.