Cytodyne Technologies, maker of the dietary supplement Xenadrine, faces lawsuits from eight California counties and one city, who accuse the company of false and misleading advertising that does not mention possible health risks associated with ephedra. The counties are seeking restitution for California customers and civil penalities.
“There is a known association between ephedra products and very serious health problems,” San Francisco Deputy District Attorney Michael Hudson said. “People don’t realize that just because it’s natural, that doesn’t make it safe. Tobacco is natural.”
The company defended Xenadrine and said prosecutors are trying to take advantage of publicity surrounding ephedra.
“Cytodyne Technologies confidently stands behind the efficacy of its products and the truthfulness of our advertising claims,” company chief executive Bob Chinery said in statement. “It’s not a coincidence that at this time the prosecutors have decided to file these allegations, given the current sensationalized climate surrounding ephedra.”
On Feb. 28, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a warning label for all ephedra-containing dietary supplements. The proposed label warns about the risks of serious adverse events, including heart attack, seizure, stroke, and death; cautions that the risk can increase with the dose, with strenuous exercise, and with other stimulants such as caffeine.
(via The Associated Press)
{ 78 comments }
← Previous Comments
Fat peeps are such lazy jerks. Just croak already, OK?
i jus started using this product today is actually my second day and on the first day i took it in the morn followed the diet plan went to the gym had a work out …had loads of energy and motviation …actually it supressed my cravings for sweets and food…however in the eveing i felt ill really dissy with headaches..i felt normal after resting for a while i think its because i ate late….then today i took it had my work out etc i felt dissy again …i dont know how long it takes before i am to begin seeing result shd i stop takin it…??advice anyoen
Last year I was taking Metabolife for about a month. I must have lost around 10 lbs, mainly because the drug did not make me hungry. Therefore, I wasn’t eating very much, and little to no junk food. At the time I was only 17 years old and far from being overweight. However I wanted to lose a few lbs simply to feel “skinny.” I stopped taking the drug after that month or so because I was unable to sleep, and my heart felt like it was racing at 90 miles an hour. I am now 18 and just starting taking Stacker 2 with Ephedra. This pills is slighty different, I only take around 2 a day, after I eat. With metablolife I was taking 5 or 6. I understand the warnings and side effects because I actually read and follow the labels. You are automatically putting yourself at risk for these adverse health effects by the taking the product. If you choose to take them, then read the label and follow directions. I’ve only been taking Stackers for 3 days now, but have already noticed a difference in my energy and sleeping patterns. All diet pills have their ups and downs. None are a quick fix. You can’t expect to pop some pills and chill on the couch snacking on whatever food is in front of you. I actually do try and eat healthy, and do pilates and kickboxing 3 times a week. I’m taking these for an extra kick to lose a few lbs, mainly for motivation. But if you are 20, 40, 100 lbs overweight, simply popping pills everyday will not fix your problem. If you plan to take ephedra, then my advise is to wise up about it and actually research what you are getting yourself into. There’s no quick fix to death.
Hi, i just wanted to add to this message board….i was taking Metabolife for 3 years …i took them right after i had my baby…and lost 50lbs in 2 1/2 months…after that i stopped taking them for 3 days ..when i realized i couldnt get out of bed with a migrane headache due to i was addicted to those drugs….i took 2 pills and my headache was gone and i was out of bed and doing my normal routine …3 years later i just stopped taking them due to the fact i have a big bald spot missing from my head …and i developed a thyroid disease …since i had to stop taking them again…i can barely move around anymore …im 33 and was 108 lbs …very active and very young looking …i will say this put years on my life and i have gained some weight from not being able to do to much…i do have shortness of breath…and i have this short cough …i really dont have the money to look into this much more being i recently became a single mom….but im assuming alot of my problems are from this drug….when your young your kinda dumb looking good is all that matters …but i will say you do pay for it later ….also i have alot of mood swings which are going away since i have been off them for 2 weeks …we all know diet pills are bad for ya …so theres no use in complaining about it…i wish everyone good health.
thanks for taking the time to read this .
I took Rip Fuel by twin labs with ephedra back in 1998 and 1999 . and had 2 seizuers in between of each other. at first they couldn’t diagnose what had casued this . Later in the summer of 1999 i had my second , at first it was unknown that rip feul with ephedra the second time it was clear ripfuel caused it. they banned the sale of ephedra products that summer of 1999 in canada. but it was to late for me. i have been on dilantin ever since and am worried of the side effects and liver disease in the future. i’ve gone off dilantin and had the seizures creap back. i am now dependent on this for the rest of my life till i die. I am currently looking for others in Canada that have experienced this or am wondering if i can join a U.S. class action lawsuit.
I have been taking Xenadrine for 7 years…I’m in great shape and just need the energy boost at times…I do agree it is not for everyone …however, I like it…I have been looking for it and have had no luck..if anyone could tell me where to purchase it..I would greatly appreciate it..Thank you…
Be aware of aspartame and its related effects similar to ephedra. Many people were taking ephedrine and drinking diet sodas containing aspartame at the same time. Aspartame disease can be blamed for these sudden heart attacks. Just type aspartame toxicity in google and read some of the hundreds of websites devoted to this dangerous drug. I believe the wrong drug (ephedra) is being blamed here.
A lot of interesting comments here. At one point i was also an advocate of products containing ephedra. I followed everything the “label” on the bottle said and not too long ago after deciding to stop using Ephedra began to suffer from dperession. I Didnt want to go out much nor go to the gym. Recently my MD discovered some problems with my liver. These checmicals may affect everyone differently but lets not be ignorant to the fact that they are dangerous and addictive. Dont let society dictate the way you live your life. be happy with the way you are!
I’ve read all of these postings, and I’ve noticed that hardly anyone has had complications with the Stacker products…please email me with your stories on this product, good and bad. Thanks.
Ephedra killed my brother at the age of 33. He was extremely fit and healthy ( pro soccer player). It made his heart enlarged and therefore weakened. He did not know this and dropped dead of a heart attack while walking his dog. He never had any other physical problems. He was married only 4 months prior and was very happy, this should have never happened. Don’t think it can’t happen to you.
My husband has been taking ephedra for about 15yrs. He started taking it for energy (he has sleep apnea and is chronically fatigued). After years of use, he has built up his tolerance. I never thought of him as a drug addict, but suddenly i am scarred to death that he is out of control with his drug use. I started seeing a serious problem financially about a year ago when he started taking money out of our account without letting me know to buy ephedra. He started trying to cover it up with excuses. Our marriage/ 17years of it, is now in jepardy. I have lost trust in him with this sneeky behavior. He can go days with no sleep and then days with sleep. He works night shift which compounds the situation. His body aches with muscle fatigue. He is depressed and doesn’t seem to value his life or his family any more. Our relationship has become estranged. What do I do? Yesterday he finally admitted as to how much he was taking….an alarming 2 bottles a day!! I fear he will die from this addiction. I am angry that he has sacrificed his family over a drug. He refuses to go for drug treatment. He says he has control over it and knows he has to quit and will do so. He has been saying this and being dishonest about it for years now. What do I do for him? What do I do for my family. I see how defensive the younger people are about this “safe” drug. Believe me- we are a middle-class christian family who NEVER would of speculated that this convenient energy pill would destroy a mans health, his family, and his mental state. Any advice would be appreciated. I am at a loss and embarassed to tell anyone what I we are going through. Thanks.
This is to Paul C. I am sure that with the seizures, your body already had something wrong. seizures are caused by scared brian tissue. Weather you hit your head really hard in the past or even in a car wreck. You say that you still have them. That is from scared brain tissue. Ephedrine would not cause you to have them all the time. Only once, maybe. I have had seizures since I was 19 years old. I took diet pills containing ephedrine for 6 yrs and did not have any seizures because I took my meds as well. I’m sure the ephedrine trigered something that was already going to happen.
I think the ephedra products are great. The Chinese have been using them for 5000 years – how come no one over there is dying? Or making a fuss about it? I am not a fat slob or lazy but there are times after work that I just don’t have the energy for a full workout without a supplement. With all the people out there in the world struggling to lose weight due to low metabolisms and the high availability of fast food it is great that there is a product out there that actually works. Ephedra works and is no more dangerous than caffeine, yet every office in America has a pot of caffeine rich coffee available plus coke machines in the lunch room… Most headaches due to withdrawal from Xenadrine or Stacker are due to the withdrawal of caffeine not ephedra. I used it for years – it was the healthiest I have ever been. I never abused – I took half the recommended dose to be on the safe side and it worked great for me.
I see that Most of the people that had problems with ephedra did not follow the directions. Your not supposed to take it for years!
I took xenadrine RFA-1 when it first came out and I did not have problems at all. I believe it also says on there to start out for the first week with 1 pill 2 x day doesn’t it? I am sure alot of people jumped to the max dose right away.
I did walking as my form of activity. It is also important to drink water.
also remember you should not drink caffine or take asprin while taking pills that contain ephedra.
Good luck to everyone.
Hello,
Everyone as I have posted before. I know someone who purchased a large supply of ORIGINAL STACKER 2, before it came off the counters. The pill is definetely the same thing, the whole ingredients are the same, with the same energy levels you get after taking it, the same package and everything.
He’s willing to sell most of them out, anyone who’s interested please let me know.
Anyone interested in getting them please let me know through this website.
Please, only if you have used them before, and know how to use them and not abuse them, and of course read the labels first, and not consume any caffeine when taking them.
In order to let you guys/ladies know, this is for real, and not some sort of of scam, I’m willing to give you my phone # , which is my cell phone on me all the time. And you can call me and talk to me about or ask me any questions you have.
It’s $80 per 100 capsules of original stacker 2 with EPHEDRA. He charges me $72 dollars per 100 capsules/bottle. But I need to pay for postage.
I’m a college student, working partime, and not trying to scam anyoneone, I just think that’s is screwed up that it’s not on counters anymore, and if I can help anyone out, why not do it, cause I’m really pissed about them not being for sale anymore from the counters.
Get real guys all these pills are bad for you. They are not natural. I used to take stacker, and began to sick after a while. The company behind the stacker product, knowing its product is high dangerous, has 3 or 4 companies, as shell companies so the spread the risk, by avoiding being shut down. Look at how they are being sold in GNC and most stores, its like they are being treated as vitamins. It was only was a matter of time before the government had to get involved in this epidemic.
To me EPHEDRA IS NO DIFFERENT THAN GUNS. The drug nor guns kill, it’s the irresponsibile people using them!!! I have had uncontrolable eating habits for just about my whole life until I was introduced to Stacker 2’s and 3’s. I had the energy I needed, and my appetite binging was over until the gov’t put the ban on it. I never abused the pills.
I just ordered maxadrine-same effect as xenadrine rfa-1. I got it within 3 days of ordering..they also have a bunch of ephedra pills there..including stacker 2 and 3 w/ephedra and truckers luv it. Free shipping also..
I took metabolife 356 for about a year. I lost 60 pounds, always had energy and felt great. I have tried all of the ephedra free stuff available now and it does nothing for me. I am completely for lifting the ban on ephedra because it is only dangerous if you have underlying problems. You people who had a bad reaction had something else going on before hand, maybe you just didn’t know it. The pills could have brought it to the surface, but the problem was already there or you didn’t follow the directions. Everybody reacts to things differently and no one can say for sure how a body will react to these pills. I can drink highly caffeinated drinks all day long and go right to sleep any time I want, while other people can drink one cup of coffee and be climbing the walls. Just because there are some people who don’t like the way it makes them feel doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t entitled to form our own opinion of the products. I am allergic to chocolate. I have a life threatening reaction if I consume it. Does that give me the right to tell everyone to stay away from it? Yeah right! I don’t appreciate being told that I can no longer take metabolife 356 because it made other people sick. It didn’t make me sick at all!
I was taking Xenadrine for just a few weeks, I was losing weight but i started having pain in my chest and I was waking up out of a deep sleep thinking I was going to die, I really felt i was having a heart attack, I stopped taking the Xenadrine because i had a strong feeling it was the cause. But the attacks kept happening so I set up a doctors appointment she gave me a complete exam blood test excetra all came back normal so she sent me to a cardiologist he ran every test on me including an ultrasound something was causing me to have severe panic attacks.
I was put on klonopin to help with these attacks I wish i never started taking any pills now I am afraid I am damaged for life and I do not know how this will affect my heart over a period of time. Is there anyone else out there going through the same thing? Do you know of any current lawsuit in NY State
because of this? please help
email me if you have any info thanks
Gina
hi i took xenadrine for about 6 mts and now i have permanent high blood pressure and a rapid heart rate that i have to take meds to try and slow it down. i asked my dr about the xedadrine and could it have done some damage to my heart. he said he had never heard of long term side effects, just problems while the person was useing it..im trying to find some info on the long term effects and damage that could have been done to my body.. does anyone else have these kind of problems? feel free to email me.. ripperstigger@yahoo.com thx
I am amazed at how many of you have taken supplements with ephedra, knew the possible consequences, and now want to sue the companies ‘for every dime’ possible. You people are fucking unreal! If I were on a jury and heard your case, I would hold you liable and ask you to pay the companies $ for all of the unnecessary negativity you are causing. All of the cases I have read have indicated that the users were abusers and/or so severely overweight/had other health issues that there was nothing they could take that wouldn’t cause a reaction. Well, I guess we do live in America, and suing is the only way to resolve things. It’s a shame none of you can take accountability and responsibility for your actions.
i was really interested in xenadrine so i researched it. im in GREAT shape but wanted to look PHENOMENAL. it had lots of pros but at the same time a few cons. reading the cons, i would laugh at these people and consider them “weak”. i said i wouldnt possibly have THOSE side effects. i worked at a gym, worked out all time, and was in GREAT shape. but because of my greediness, i wanted MORE. i took xenadrine, and it has been the worst weekend of my life. i feel like im having a panic attack and i cant even function. i didnt even have the ENERGY or MOTIVATION to go the gym. i ALWAYS have energy and motivation to go. but after taking xenadrine, i was in a terrible condition. but nevertheless i took it for the third day just to fully test it out. i just went running on it. what would normally be an easy jog/sprint for me, i felt like DYING. i felt soooo bad you have no idea. i’ve never felt like this. i still feel horrible and thats how i think im having the motivation to write this. i just want to warn people… SURE there are drugs that works miracle on some people. but TRUST me, this is not a joke. im never taking any sort of diet pill again after this. ive never felt more stupid and fooled. working out naturally is ALWAYS going to be the best way to go. my heart is still beating so fast from xenadrine and im shaky. the cons you’ve read from people are all true. i thought i was invisible until i took xenadrine. PLEASE thinik twice before taking this or conider something else. my god, i would even recommend surgery over this in my opinion. at least surgery wont fuck up your heart permanently.
Whats up everyone? I know for a fact that ephedra is good for losing weight and inches.I lost 25 lbs in 1 month and I was fine. But of course if you abuse it you will have bad side effects. I did have one incident where I took 4 more pills in one day then I should have. Yes I did have fast heartbeats and dizzy.But why? Because I abused it. Not because a company fault.i didnt but the plain on anyone else but me.The rules are simple read and follow the labels and it will be cool. Dont follow the rules and have bad side effects.ok
I am still looking for something as effective as xenadrine RFA-1 or Ripped Fuel anyone please hit me up with info
I have recently had my son and two major surgery my doctor has given me the go ahead to exercise i am 30lbs over my usually weight and my son is 11 months worried about taking pills but would like to lose the weight with out the risk of dying from liver or heart failure. to the people that r hurt from the products u have my condolences. the the angry people it is up to u to help educate the ignorate u reap what is sown if u sow none u reap none and name calling is uncalled for u could hurt someones feelings. i would like to know of a diet product that work that has not caused deaths or serious health risks if any one know please post. i just wanted to say it didnt take me years and i wasnt fat i was sick and couldnt exercise and had two surgeries while i was pregnant would like to lose weight and exercise. i eat health already. thanks
i have a boy friend who takes stackers could anyone tell me about them and the sideaffects please i need to know he is changing so much
Hello, I would like to get some information from anyone who can direct me to where I need to go to either file a suite or join a class action suite. I am a firefighter in colorado and was taking xenadrine along with creatine for my workouts. One year into working out, I developed the need to have a valve replacement in my heart. I am still firefighting however I have a St. Jude valve implanted due to these medications.
When I decided to take ephedra I did the smart thing and talked to my doctor about my health. He said that he had to check out my family history and my medical history. After he did that, he told me to go ahead and it would most likely help me with weight-loss and my dangerously low blood pressure. I lost 80lbs in 8 months. I didn’t have any side affects that my doctor or I could find. He explained to me that the reason some people have problems with ephedra is in their family history or a condition the person had before they started to take it didn’t notice. He said that ephedra does speed up the heart just like too many cups of coffee can and so it works your heart muscles. If you or your family had or has any heart related problems than you shouldn’t take ephedra. Also follow the damn directions on the container you idiots!!! The first direction on all weight-loss bottles are “Talk to your doctor before starting any weight loss program.” Which one is worse, ephedra or being overweight? If you want to bitch about the side affects of ephedra, you should look into the side affects of being fat. Maybe your heart just couldn’t take the workout because you all are to lazy to get into an exercise program that will raise your heart rate naturally. By the way, who shoved the pills down your throat? You did, so if anyone is to blame it is you. I know that it’s boring to read all the lable warnings on the packages but they are there to guide you into making an informed decision about what you put into your body. So go fuck yourselves and stop bitching about something you had complete control over!!!!
← Previous Comments
Comments on this entry are closed.