Health agency warns public about diet supplement

San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency advises people against using OxyElite Pro dietary supplement capsules or powder products after several people, including a San Diego County resident, reported liver damage.

The agency said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that the manufacturer, USPlabs LLC of Dallas, has voluntarily recalled OxyElite Pro Super Thermo capsules, Ultra-Intense Thermo capsules and Super Thermo powder dietary supplements.

The FDA said its scrutiny of USPlabs began when the Hawaii Department of Health discovered that 27 of 46 patients with liver problems reported having taken OxyElite. One person died, another had a liver transplant and a few others are awaiting transplants, according to the FDA.

The local case involved a 45-year-old woman who suffered acute liver failure after recent use of an OxyElite Pro product for weight loss, according to the county. She was hospitalized, but has been released and is recovering.

Overall, 56 cases of acute hepatitis and liver failure in 13 states that may be linked to recent supplement use have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA.

A list of the OxyPro Elite products involved in the voluntary recall can be found on the county agency’s Facebook page. The agency warned that the recalled products may still be available on the Internet and there is concern that some counterfeit products also may remain available for sale.

The Health and Human Services Agency advised individuals who believe they have been harmed by the use of the product to contact their health care provider. Any adverse effects potentially related to the use of OxyElite Pro should be reported to the health department and to FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Reporting Program at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm.