The side effects of Pai You Guo include dry mouth, anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations, depression, fainting, nausea, and vomiting. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they experienced at least one of these side effects.

Where did the women purchase the banned supplement? Sixty-six percent of the women reported getting it from an acquaintance in the U.S., 30 percent purchased it from a store in this country, and 9 percent reported purchasing the supplement online. The product is sold in stores alongside other traditional Chinese herbs and spices like ginseng and shark's fin. It is marketed as a natural way to lose weight, even though it is a mixture of banned drugs.

There is a misconception among consumers that if a product is labeled "natural," it must be safe to use. And that isn't necessarily true. The researchers warned that people should not use any type of dietary supplement that claims to help shed pounds. The regulations in the United States aren't strong enough to prevent dangerous products from reaching consumers. Even when products are known to be dangerous, the FDA does not have the ability to remove them from store shelves.

Consumers who are looking for a quick and easy way to lose weight often fall victim to products that promise quick , easy, and magical weight loss results. According to Michael Levy, director of the FDA's Division of New Drugs and Labeling Compliance, "These products are not legal dietary supplements. They are actually very powerful drugs masquerading as 'all-natural' or 'herbal' supplements, and they carry significant risks to unsuspecting consumers."

The FDA has found other weight-loss products marketed as supplements that are actually dangerous combinations of pharmaceuticals including seizure medications, blood pressure medications, and other drugs not approved in the United States. The FDA website provides information and advice on weight-loss dietary supplements for consumers.

This study was published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in advance of appearing in the upcoming print issue.

Image: Pai You Guo.



This article originally appeared on TheDoctorWillSeeYouNow.com.

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