Yet another weight loss supplement has been found to contain pharmaceutical drugs. On March 20, 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a nationwide alert about tainted weight loss products containing undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients. That alert listed more than 70 weight loss products that may be harmful.
This past Thursday, July 8, the FDA has added another supplement to that list. Que She, advertised as “Slimming Factor Capsule” and as “an all-natural blend of Chinese herbs,” was found to contain the following pharmaceutical ingredients:
- fenfluramine – a stimulant drug withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1997 after studies demonstrated that it caused serious heart valve damage
- sibutramine – a controlled substance and prescription weight loss drug, which has been associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have a history of heart disease
- ephedrine – a stimulant (ephedra alkaloid) with potential side effects of irregular heartbeat, seizures, heart attack, stroke, or death
- propranolol – a prescription beta blocker drug that is used to treat high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
Que She has been distributed locally at Sacred Journey in Lawrence, KS. The website listed by the FDA is also run by Sacred Journey. People who have purchased Que She should stop taking the product immediately and consult a health care professional.
If you are interested in getting further updates from the FDA, you can go to their consumer updates page: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/default.htm
As I always stress to clients, there is no such thing as a “magic pill” for weight loss. You need to:
- Eat Right
- Exercise
- Get enough sleep
© Randy Bird, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS and Randy Bird Sports Nutrition, 2010.
Randy Bird Sports Nutrition 
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