FDA warns of drugs in weight-loss supplements

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

The Food and Drug Administration is again warning consumers of dangerous weight loss supplements that contain pharmaceutical drugs, including the weight loss drug Meridia, which was pulled from the market in 2010 for safety reasons.

Four of the five weight loss supplements -- Black Mamba Hyperrush, Diablos ECA Fir Caps, Natural Max Slimming and Lean Body Extreme -- all contain sibutramine, the generic form of Meridia, and other drugs, including phenolphthalein, a laxative ingredient the FDA banned in the 1990's because it is potentially carcinogenic. The fifth, Botanical Slimming, contains fluoxetine, a  selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressant.

Consumers who bought three of the five weight loss pills (Diablos ECA, Natural Max Slimming and Lean Body Extreme) also got another surprise ingredient, according to the FDA: generic Viagra.

The full story is here.