The growing prevalence of
obesity in the USA has resulted in increased consumption of
weight loss products that promote fat metabolism. Dietary supplements used for
weight loss contain a wide variety of ingredients but the amount of scientific information available on these ingredients varies considerably. Such supplements have documented and undocumented adverse effects. Although the FDA frequently issues health advisories, the health consequences of consuming supplements are often overlooked by the general public. A common supplement used for
weight loss is
Hydroxycut. The ingredients used in the different forms of
Hydroxycut products vary but generally include
caffeine and
green tea extract, which are responsible for a wide range of adverse effects. We present the case of 41-year-old man with a medical history of polysubstance abuse who developed acute
compartment syndrome in the setting of
rhabdomyolysis from prolonged immobilisation and the use of
Hydroxycut. This case demonstrates the possible adverse effects of consuming
weight loss herbal supplements like
Hydroxycut. Healthcare professionals and consumers are encouraged to report serious adverse events or product quality problems with the use of these supplements to the FDA's MedWatch adverse event reporting program.
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