RSS Feeds
Fulminant Hepatic Failure After Use of the Herbal Weight-Loss Supplement Exilis
- W. Michael McDonnell, MD;
- Renuka Bhattacharya, MD; and
- Jeffrey B. Halldorson, MD
Background: After reports of hepatotoxicity, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on the use of Hydroxycut (Iovate Health Sciences, Oakville, Ontario, Canada), and the manufacturer agreed to a voluntary recall (1–5). However, the compounds in Hydroxycut are still available in other supplements sold in the United States.
Objective: To report a case of fulminant hepatic failure associated with use of Exilis (Fusion Health Products, Houston, Texas), an herbal weight-loss supplement with ingredients similar to those in Hydroxycut.
Case Report: A 25-year-old man presented to a walk-in clinic with tea-colored urine and fatigue. He was given reassurance and sent home. He presented 1 week later to our center with ongoing symptoms in addition to nausea, vomiting, …
