Buyer Beware!

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

17 Apr 2008 04:04 AM

So you want to lose weight? How about a little hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue to go with that?

Anyone who has read my blogs for a while will know that I am a big proponent of vitamin supplementation for everyone, especially those who are trying to lose weight and may not be practicing a particularly balanced eating program. In this case, buyers should beware of a particular liquid supplement. The Food and Drug Administration is on the job and has warned consumers about Total Body Formula.

Total Body Formula is a liquid vitamin supplement that includes vitamins, colloidal minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. The company that produces it claims that it is a "great tasting liquid formula to meet today's nutritional requirements for maintaining energy and sustaining health". Unfortunately they included a wee bit too much selenium in a few batches of the Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar flavors.

While we all know that a body lacking in vitamins and minerals will not run optimally, it is also very important to know that a body that is getting too much of certain vitamins or minerals will also be at a disadvantage. You never want to overdose on minerals or fat soluble vitamins as they will build up in your body and could cause the sort of problems that Total Body Formula consumers encountered. (You can try to overdose on water soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and the Vitamin Bs, but it will never happen. Overdosing on water soluble vitamins simply makes for very expensive urine as all the extra vitamins your body doesn't need come out in the wash, so to speak.)

Total Body Formula Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar flavors and Total Body Mega Formula Tropical Orange and Tangerine flavors were distributed to a whopping 15 states. These formulas were sold in eight-ounce and 32-ounce plastic bottles.

According to the Health Department of Florida, 23 people experienced serious reactions to the products seven to ten days after first taking them. In each case, the consumers shared the reactions of hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue. Anyone taking the products who may have experienced adverse reactions should call their doctor and the FDA's MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088.

Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

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