Ulcerative colitis associated with the herbal weight loss supplement Hydroxycut

Abstract

SUMMARYA 25-year-old Iranian gentleman was admitted to hospital with severe bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. He had similar episodes in the past. On each occasion his symptoms developed following the consumption of the herbal weight loss supplement Hydroxycut Hardcore X. On this admission, a (CT) scan demonstrated bowel wall thickening and peri-colonic fat stranding in the sigmoid colon. On flexible sigmoidoscopy, a continuous length of congested mucosa with multiple small ulcers was seen extending up to the mid-transverse colon, in keeping with ulcerative colitis. Histological analysis of biopsies was taken at the time and confirmed this. He was started on steroids early during his admission but this only provided a transient clinical improvement. The addition of cyclosporine, which was later changed to azathioprine, did not improve his condition either. He therefore underwent an open subtotal colectomy with end ileostomy. He made a slow but steady recovery and was discharged 3 weeks later. BACKGROUND

The Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use among College Students: A Nationwide Survey in Japan

“…On the other hand, most young women want to lose weight to maintain their appearance, even though being excessively thin is a concern in this demographic in Japan [ 30 , 31 ]. Many ingredients used in weight loss supplements, such as Coleus forskohlii , red pepper, and senna, can cause diarrhea [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. In fact, Coleus forskohlii extract (CFE) is one of the most popular ingredients in weight loss dietary supplements in Japan.…”

Hydroxycut Induced Atypical Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report

“…Since then, new ephedra-free formulations have been introduced to the market 2,3 . While acute liver toxicity is the most commonly reported side effect of this supplement [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] , seizure activity 8 , rhabdomyolysis 9,10 , ulcerative colitis 11 , and hypertensive retinopathy 12 have also been reported. Cardiac complications have rarely been reported, of which almost all are dysrhythmias [13][14][15][16] .…”