DANGEROUS DIET PILLS

The FDA has just recalled the diet pill "Hydroxycut" due to numerous cases of liver failure and damage.

This is just one in a long line of cases that emphasize how dangerous diet pills are. Remember: diet and exercise lead to weight loss and some natural foods/herbs assist the body in the process (like tea and cayenne peppers), but NO pill or "herbal miracle" will take the weight off for you, and many diet pills just might kill you.

Most "diet" specific pills and teas contain compounds that put stress on the cardiovascular system (they stimulate heart rate, therefore increasing caloric needs and burn), like caffeine and guarana. But what they don't tell you is that the stress they put on your body can lead to permanent damage, including heart disease, hardening of the arteries, stroke, and heart attack. Apparently Hydroxycut also had ingredients that were hepatotoxic (damaging to the liver), and unfortunately you don't truly show signs of liver failure until it's gotten really bad, so the pills may be damaging your liver and you wouldn't even know it. Long story short: DON'T EVER TAKE DIET PILLS. They don't work and they're dangerous!

Also good to know: diet pills and herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA and therefore you never really know what you're getting. Another study came out about a month ago showing that 20 leading brands of multivitamins contained unsafe levels of lead!! Lead?! In my MULTIVITAMIN!!?

If you do take herbal supplements (NOT diet pills) like a multivitamin, make sure you buy from a reputable brand. NOTE: Don't start a new herbal supplement without speaking to your MD first!