Weight-Loss Supplement Lawsuit

For people who have tried everything to lose weight, a weight-loss supplement may seem like an attractive option. What’s the harm, right? Unfortunately, many supplements contain hidden pharmaceutical ingredients with life-threatening risks. Even when they are “all-natural,” drug-makers rarely safety test their products. If you were injured, you are not alone.

What You Can Do & How a Weight-Loss Supplement Lawsuit Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting weight-loss supplement induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by a weight-loss supplement, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Dietary Supplement Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Weight-Loss Supplements

Weight-Loss Supplements are usually advertised as miraculous ways to shed pounds. Supplements may be sprinkled on foods, mixed into drinks, or taken as pills. The reality is, no dietary supplement can make you lose weight without also being combined with significant calorie reduction, dietary changes, increased physical activity, and other lifestyle changes. Although diet and exercise are proven to cause weight-loss, experts warn that weight-loss supplements alone are almost always ineffective. Furthermore, weight-loss supplements may cause serious, life-threatening side effects.

What Should I Do?

If you’re considering using a weight-loss supplement, talk to your doctor first. Many dietary supplements can cause serious side effects. Some can interact with medications, harm a developing baby, or have other serious side effects — including liver damage, heart problems, and more.

If you have been injured by any weight-loss supplement, contact The Schmidt Firm, PLLC immediately. Here are a few examples of weight-loss supplements linked to serious adverse events:

• Sibutramine: Appetite-suppressant that was sold alone under the brand-name Meridia from 1997 until 2010, when it was pulled off the market. Studies found that it could increase a user’s risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest, irregular heart rhythm, and other side effects by 16% compared to a placebo.
• Phenolphthalein: Laxative sold over-the-counter for most of the 20th century. Pulled off the market after studies found that it could cause cancer.
• Bitter orange (synephine): A stimulant similar to ephedra, which can elevate blood pressure and heart rate, which may increase the risk of heart attack. There is no evidence that it can aid in weight loss.
• Chromium picolinate: This has been linked to cognitive changes, including depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. It can also interact with many medications, especially diabetes medications that affect insulin. Liver damage can occur from taking too much chromium.
• DMAA: Several different brands of weight-loss supplements contained DMAA, a stimulant drug similar to ephedra that was linked to heart attacks, high blood pressure, and other severe side effects, including death.
• Hydroxycut: In 2009, this popular weight-loss supplement was linked to liver damage, seizures, rhabdomyolysis, liver failure, and death. The product has since been recalled.
• HCG Hormone (collected from the human placenta): The FDA has recently sent warning letters to manufacturers of this product, because using it as the label directs (combined with a 500-calorie per day diet) could be seriously dangerous to some people.
• And more. Contact The Schmidt Firm, PLLC today if you have suffered any serious side effect after using a weight-loss supplement.

Weight-Loss Supplement Liver Damage

A study published in May 2012 has found that weight-loss supplements are one of the primary causes of liver damage in the United States. One study reviewed 679 cases of liver damage, of which 93 were associated with dietary supplements. Weight-loss supplements were responsible for 26% of the liver injuries. In total, 7% of the patients required a liver transplant.

Symptoms of liver damage:

• Jaundice (discolored skin, eyes that appear yellowish)
• Abdominal pain, swelling
• Itching skin
• Dark urine color
• Pale, bloody, or tar-colored stool
• Chronic fatigue
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite

Weight-Loss Supplements and Heart Attacks

Some weight-loss supplements have been linked to heart attacks. One example is DMAA, a synthetic stimulant drug that has recently been restricted by the FDA. Before the FDA restricted sales of DMAA, it was an ingredient in many weight-loss supplements. Manufacturers claimed it could help a person lose weight by having a stimulating effect on the metabolism. Unfortunately, it also significantly raised heart rate and blood pressure levels, which increases the risk of a heart attack. At least two people who died of heart attacks during exercise had DMAA in their bloodstream.

Side Effects of Weight-Loss Supplements

If you have suffered an injury caused by a weight-loss supplement, you could be entitled to significant financial compensation if you qualify for a weight-loss supplement lawsuit. You may receive compensation for past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost income, and more. Contact The Schmidt Firm, PLLC immediately for more information regarding your legal rights.

Severe weight-loss supplement side effects may include:

• Kidney damage, kidney failure
• Liver damage, liver failure
• Pancreatitis
• Heart palpitations
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Cardiac arrest
• Seizures
• Permanent disability
• Death

Do I have a Weight-Loss Supplement Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Weight-Loss Supplement induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by a weight-loss supplement, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Dietary Supplement Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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