August 5, 2014 — Saba Appetite Control and Energy (ACE), a dietary supplement marketed for weight-loss, has been linked to a case of liver failure that required a transplant, according to a case report published in Gastroenterology.
The 35 year-old woman took just three pills in a two-day period. Within two weeks, she developed jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), which is often one of the first signs of liver damage.
She went to the emergency room and doctors performed extensive laboratory tests, imaging, and a liver biopsy. The tests showed necrosis (tissue death) and inflammation in her liver.
One week later, she was diagnosed with edema (swelling) due to accumulation of fluid in her legs and ascites, which is accumulated fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Her liver problems grew significantly worse. Eight weeks after she was diagnosed with jaundice, she developed encephalopathy (brain damage) due to toxins in her blood. She also developed excessive bleeding because her blood was unable to clot.
She was diagnosed with fulminant liver failure and given a transplant. One week after the transplant, her condition began to improve.
Green Tea Extract and DMAA
Saba ACE contains two dietary supplements that have been linked to dozens of cases of liver damage:
- Green Tea Extract: Extracts of the green tea leaf may contain highly-concentrated levels of toxic catechins. Diet pills with green tea extract (such as SlimQuick) have been linked to several cases of liver damage, including two cases of liver failure and transplant.
- DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine): The diet pill OxyElite Pro, which originally contained DMAA, was linked to 43 cases of hepatitis (liver inflammation) in Hawaii last year, including two people who needed a liver transplant and one woman who died.
The authors of the case report warned:
“This case of drug-induced fulminant liver failure was likely due to Saba ACE supplement. Although DMAA and green tea extract are potentially hepatotoxic, the exact hepatotoxic agent in this supplement and whether drug interactions or possible contamination played a role in the drug-induced liver injury in this case are unclear.”
Do I have a Saba ACE Lawsuit?
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