In all, there are 14 products that have been recalled including:
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
Why the recall?
The FDA says there have been 23 reports of liver damage, elevated liver enzymes, or liver damage requiring transplant. Other reported problems include seizures, muscle damage, and cardiovascular problems. One death of a 19 year old man is also thought to be associated with using Hydroxycut.
If you are using Hydroxycut currently, throw it away or return them to where you purchased them. There are numerous ingredients in the 14 different products recalled and right now it is not clear which ingredients are thought to be the most dangerous and cause problems.
Diet and exercise
I know you are tired of hearing it, but I am not tired of saying it. 🙂
Reducing calories and increasing calorie burn by moving more are the best way to lose weight. Many dietary supplements on the market are safe. But some can have dangerous consequences. use caution and when in doubt, don’t use something you think may be dangerous.
*This post, Hydroxycut Recall, was originally published on Healthline.com by Tara Gidus, MS, RD.*
This is the funniest public service announcement I’ve seen in as long as I can remember. Congratulations to the creative communications team at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons for putting this together!
Back story: I met Sandra Gordon, Director of Public Relations, at the AMA Medical Communications Conference (where I was faculty) and where she presented this video. After the show I approached her to say how surprised many of us were that Orthopaedic Surgery was leading the way in creative PR – and that it was quite unexpected. The PSA had almost a hint of Monty Python humor to it.
She responded with out batting an eye: “Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition!”
What do New Year’s Resolutions tell us about ourselves? Will they cast light on our hopes for the coming years or embody regrets best left in the year past? Resolutions tell us about our hopes, about who we want to be, and if made for the right reasons can lead us to the person we wish to be tomorrow. A positive approach utilizing the support of family, friends, and caregivers will help us follow through with our resolutions and improve our chances for success.
For the last two years, resolutions to stop smoking, drinking, or overeating, have ranked only ninth on the New Year’s Resolutions list, while getting out of debt, losing weight, or developing a healthy habit are the top three. If you find this surprising, you are in the company of many physicians. Yet this demonstrates the positive approach preferred by a majority making a New Year’s resolution. For each person making a resolution to stop or decrease a bad behavior, five choose to increase or start a good behavior, instead. We can learn from this and maintain a positive focus when considering and following through on a resolution. Keep in mind that only 40% find success on the first try and 17% of us need six tries to ultimately keep a resolution.
Avoid making hasty New Year’s resolutions based on absolute statements, which all too often meet with failure at the outset. We recommend an approach based on The Stages-of-Change-Model, developed from studying successful ex-smokers. For 30 years, primary care doctors have used this model to help their patients successfully rid themselves of a variety of bad habits. The Model’s foundation is the understanding that real change comes from within an individual.
Below, I’ve outlined the five typical stages a person progresses through in changing a behavior, using the example of a smoker:
1.   Stage One/Pre-contemplative: This is before a smoker has thought about stopping.
2.   Stage Two/Contemplative: A smoker considers stopping smoking.
3.   Stage Three/Preparation: The smoker seeks help, buys nicotine gum, etc.
4.   Stage Four/Action: The smoker stops smoking.
5.   Stage Five/Maintenance and Relapse Prevention: Still not smoking, but if our smoker smokes again, keeps trying to stop, learning from mistakes.
The family and friends of a resolution maker are an intrinsic part of success and should avoid a negative approach. Instead, help them move through the stages, advancing when ready at their own pace. The following exchange is typical of an office visit where a spouse’s frustration spills over, finding release:
“Dr. Simmons, Tell John to stop smoking!” John’s wife demands of me.
“Mr. Smith, you really should stop smoking,” I request of John.
“Well Doc, I don’t want to and that’s not why I’m here,” John says, pushing his Marlboros deeper into his shirt-pocket, clearly agitated with his wife and me.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Smith, John doesn’t want to stop, perhaps I could hit him over his head, knock some sense into him?”
Once negative energy has been interjected between me and my patient, I struggle to find an appropriate response. Should I use humor to redirect? I have rarely seen someone stop a bad habit after being berated. I would prefer a chance to help him think about smoking and how it’s affecting his health. Does he know that smoking is making his cough worse? Has he been thinking about stopping lately? Nagging seems to be more about our own frustration than a desire to help and should be avoided since the effect is usually the opposite intended.
A resolution can show the path to a happier and healthier life. If you or someone close to you is planning to make a New Year’s resolution, just start slow, stay positive, have a strong support network….and one more thing: Resolve to stay Resolved.
I had the honor and privilege of being a judge for the annual MedGadget science fiction writing contest. Please check out the winning entries here. We judges were blinded to the author names when reading the selections – though it came as little surprise to me that a professional writer (Charles Pappas)Â won the contest.
Charles’ story hit close to home – it was the diary of a food-lover slowly gaining weight and watching their health insurance premiums increase as a chip implanted under their skin reported increasing cholesterol and insulin resistance directly to their employer. His struggle with weight gain and its financial implications was both humorous and poignant. Please head on over to Medgadget to enjoy the winning entry. Great timing for those of us recovering from Thanksgiving…
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