sneeze
When last we left the FDA, they were issuing a warning against a popular weight loss supplement, Hydroxycut. The warning was issued after 23 people had reported severe adverse reaction to the supplement, including one person who needed a liver transplant. Other issues included heart problems and muscle damage that could lead to kidney failure. All very serious stuff….but in 23 people– out of how many consumers that had purchased the product? And no mention of whether these people had taken the suggested dosage of the supplement (believe it or not, when people hear that something can help you lose weight, they tend to take more than they should. True.)

I have never been a big fan of weight loss supplements. I believe people take them in an effort to get the results without changing their behavior. In that sense, they are a crutch. As a nation, we are a mess in terms of weight management. And the supplements offer a false hope of change. It’s no wonder that people develop problems: some folks are probably popping the pills like Tic-Tacs (Editor’s Note: as of this writing, there is no existing FDA warning against Tic-Tacs.)

zicamBut now the FDA has issued a warning against Zicam. For those of you who don’t know, Zicam is a Zinc based nasal spray that works as a cold remedy. The warning suggests that Zicam can destroy one’s sense of smell. In 2006, Matrixx, Zicam’s parent company, paid out $12 million to 340 people who claimed their senses of smell had been damaged or destroyed.

I live by Zicam in the winter. The first sign of sniffles, I run to the drug store and stock up. I have never had any problems and I have found it effective. But what do I do now that I know my sense of smell is in danger? Do I continue taking the product? For heavy people, does the possibility of liver or kidney problems stop them from taking Hydroxycut? What do we do? Who do we listen to?