Exercise.

Your correct it was recalled on Friday 1 May 2009 16.42 BST US officials recall weight loss pill Hydroxycut Popular dietary supplement recalled after reports of liver damage and other health problems. US government health officials are announcing the recall of a popular weight loss pill, after reports of liver damage and other health problems. Food and Drug Administration officials said today the manufacturer of Hydroxycut has launched a recall of the dietary supplement, used by people trying to shed weight, and by body builders to sharpen their muscles. Hydroxycut is advertised as being made from natural ingredients. It accounts for about 90% of the market for weight loss supplements, with sales of about 1m bottles a year. Dietary supplements are not as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers do not need FDA approval ahead of time before marketing their products. Over-the-counter dietary supplements to treat obesity appeal to many patients who desire a "magic bullet" for weight loss. Asking overweight patients about their use of weight-loss supplements and understanding the evidence for the efficacy, safety, and quality of these supplements are critical when counseling patients regarding weight loss. A schema for whether physicians should recommend, caution, or discourage use of a particular weight-loss supplement is presented in this article. More than 50 individual dietary supplements and more than 125 commercial combination products are available for weight loss. Currently, no weight-loss supplements meet criteria for recommended use. Although evidence of modest weight loss secondary to ephedra-caffeine ingestion exists, potentially serious adverse effects have led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban the sale of these products. Chromium is a popular weight-loss supplement, but its efficacy and long-term safety are uncertain. Guar gum and chitosan appear to be ineffective; therefore, use of these products should be discouraged. Because of insufficient or conflicting evidence regarding the efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid, ginseng, glucomannan, green tea, hydroxycitric acid, L-carnitine, psyllium, pyruvate, and St. John's wort in weight loss, physicians should caution patients about the use of these supplements and closely monitor those who choose to use these products.

I had a keen marketing idea once after an unfortunate backpacking incident in the Sierras. A colourful package with happy ectomorphic types cavorting about onna beach or some such. Inside is a small vial of giardia-laced water and another with thirty Flagyl tablets. Directions: Drink vial #1 until desired loss of avoirdupois, then take pills as directed. Warning: This *won't* be fun. ;-)