Hydroxycut, Proof or Placebo?

1. Hydroxycut,Proof or Placebo? By: Debbie McAlear &Kyle Heuer

2. Stance • The Food and Drug Administration does not provide enough regulation over dietary supplements such as Hydroxycut. Hydroxycut is a clear example of the money that can be made by tricking consumers into buying unsafe and ineffective products. The FDA must change their regulation policies to provide more protection for the naive consumer who needs aid in losing weight.

3. Cultural Epidemic • Obesity has become an increasingly important public health problem in the United States. • More than 30% of adults are obese and 65% overweight

4. Cultural Epidemic • The use of dietary supplements for weight loss has become increasingly popular, • $55.4 billion spent in the U.S. in 2006 for weight loss and diet control • 36% of adults are using some form of complementary or alternative medicine,

5. Cultural Epidemic Dietary Supplement Product Sales and Market Share by Distribution Channel, 1995 and 1996 Table 5.5 http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/ds-econ5.html#1 http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/ds-econt.html

6. Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 • Signed by Bill Clinton on October 25, 1994 • To meet the concerns of consumers and manufacturers • Help ensure that safe and appropriately labeled products remain available to those who want to use them. • Signed by Bill Clinton on October 25, 1994 • To meet the concerns of consumers and manufacturers • Help ensure that safe and appropriately labeled products remain available to those who want to use them.

7. Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 • Assuring safety; guidelines for literature displayed where supplements are sold • Provide use of claims and nutritional support statements • Require ingredient and nutrition labeling • Grant the FDA the authority to establish good manufacturing practice.

8. What is the FDA? • The FDA is a group provided and funded by the government of the United States known as the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA was established to protect the American people from foreign foods, diseases, and drugs that could harm the American people. The FDA also conducts clinical trials on pharmaceuticals before they are released to the general public

9. Dietary Supplements Dietary Supplements A dietarysupplement, also known as foodsupplement or nutritionalsupplement, is a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet. Some countries define dietary supplements as foods, while in others they are defined as drugs.

10. Hydroxycut Commercial • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8BeGgT1v5M

11. Hydroxycut • Thermogenic compund- aids your body in burning more fat by raising your metabolism • Made of Natural and Laboratory Ingredients

12. Ingredients • Garcina cambogia • Chromium Polynicotinate • Gymnema sylvestre • Oolong Tea

13. Side Effects • Itching • Difficulty swallowing • Wheezing • Insomnia • Constant dreams • Acne on back and chest • Blurred vision • Weak jaw • Rapid Heart Rate • Hypertension • Seizures • Tachycardia • Difficulty breathing • Anxiety • Arrhythmia • Heart palpitations

14. Case Study • Procedure • Subjects • Workout program

16. Is it Worth the Risk? NO! This study proves Hydroxycut to be ineffective. Therefore,in our opinion, the only weight loss that may occur with individuals who use the product would be those affected by the placebo effect. This brings on the question; if the pill does not help with weight loss, why risk any health problems? Seems to be nothing more than an economic breakthrough.

17. Future Implications In the future the FDA should need to put government-imposed regulations on all dietary supplements. For instance, the labeling should be clearly stated and the side effects should be clear to the consumer before purchased. Just because dietary supplements claim they are all natural and non-addictive does not mean they do not have dangerous long-term side effects. As our research shows, dietary supplements are not regulated enough and prove to be dangerous under the FDA’s standards. If the FDA is meant to protect and make consumers aware of harmful substances then dietary supplements should be more closely studied and researched by the FDA.