Two Patients with Acute Liver Injury Associated with Use of the Herbal Weight-Loss Supplement Hydroxycut
Authors: Tyler Stevens, Asif Qadri, Nizar N. Zein
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2005)

Letters15 March 2005Two Patients with Acute Liver Injury Associated with Use of the Herbal Weight-Loss Supplement HydroxycutTyler Stevens, MD, Asif Qadri, MD, and Nizar N. Zein, MDTyler Stevens, MDFrom the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44118., Asif Qadri, MDFrom the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44118., and Nizar N. Zein, MDFrom the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44118.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-142-6-200503150-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Background: Many herbal supplements contain compounds that are potentially hepatotoxic (1). Newly formulated Hydroxycut (MuscleTech, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) is a concoction of plant extracts designed to speed weight loss by increasing metabolism and curbing appetite (2).Objective: To report 2 cases of severe hepatotoxicity associated with use of the weight-loss aid Hydroxycut.Case Reports: Two men presented to our emergency department within a 2-month period and were admitted to the hospital. They were previously healthy and reported no recent foreign travel; sick contacts; or risk factors for viral, alcoholic, autoimmune, or hereditary liver disease. Except for Hydroxycut, ...References1. Stedman C. Herbal hepatotoxicity. Semin Liver Dis. 2002;22:195-206. [PMID: 12016550] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Supplemental facts and ingredients. Accessed at www.hydroxycut.com on 15 February 2005. Google Scholar3. Russmann S, Lauterburg BH, Helbling A. Kava hepatotoxicity [Letter]. Ann Intern Med. 2001;135:68-9. [PMID: 11434754] LinkGoogle Scholar4. Miller SC. Safety concerns regarding ephedrine-type alkaloid-containing dietary supplements. Mil Med. 2004;169:87-93. [PMID: 15040625] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Lenz TL, Hamilton WR. Supplemental products used for weight loss. J Am Pharm Assoc Wash DC. 2004;44:59-67. [PMID: 14965155] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44118. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoKava Hepatotoxicity Stefan Russmann , Bernhard H. Lauterburg , and Arthur Helbling Hepatotoxicity Associated with Supplements Containing Chinese Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Herbert L. Bonkovsky Fulminant Hepatic Failure After Use of the Herbal Weight-Loss Supplement Exilis W. Michael McDonnell , Renuka Bhattacharya , and Jeffrey B. 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Bonkovsky, MDSafety of Drug Therapies Used for Weight Loss and Treatment of Obesity 15 March 2005Volume 142, Issue 6Page: 477-478KeywordsBilirubinLiverPhosphatasesPlateletsResearch laboratoriesSerum albuminWeight loss ePublished: 15 March 2005 Issue Published: 15 March 2005 CopyrightCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...