Recent data suggests that the use of dietary supplements, including common weight loss, bodybuilding, and energy aids such as Oxyelite Pro and green tea extracts, accounts for a startling number of liver injuries and deaths in the United States every year.
Most people are unaware that products sold as dietary aids or supplements are not FDA approved and reach the market with relatively little regulatory oversight. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which are subjected to a rigorous FDA approval process, the manufacturer of a dietary aid or supplement does not have to demonstrate the effectiveness or safety of the product through clinical testing . Additionally, the absence of adequate quality control measures means that people who consume these products have no way of knowing exactly what substances, and how much, they are taking. Despite the fact that consumers know little about these products, Americans spend close to $32 billion each year on supplements.
The liver is tasked with filtering toxins out of the foods, drinks, and products that we consume, so it is particularly susceptible to harm caused by the ingestion of imprecise quantities of highly-concentrated and sometimes exotic substances. Liver injuries caused by dietary aids and supplements can have devastating and permanent consequences, including death and total liver failure requiring a liver transplant.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious liver injury while taking a dietary aid or supplement, please please
contact one of our experienced dietary supplements attorneys for a free and confidential consultation at 215-972-1376, ext. 2.