On May 1, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a massive recall of the weight loss products, manufactured by the Canadian firm Iovate Health Sciences, after receiving 23 reports of serious health problems related to liver damage, including one death.
The recall in North America, where nine million units of Hydroxycut products were sold in 2008 alone, prompted a massive media backlash against the dietary supplements industry in general, which was accused of being unregulated and allowing unsafe products onto the market.
A warning to UK consumers delayed by six weeks because Hydroxycut products are sold under a different formulation in that country, said FSA.
However, US-formulated products are also available in the UK via internet sales, and because the problematic ingredient has not yet been identified, FSA is warning consumers not to use any Hydroxycut products.
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