Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site aecom.UUCP
Path: utzoo!decvax!mcnc!philabs!aecom!werner
From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: net.med,net.consumers
Subject: Herbalife International diet drugs attacked.
Message-ID: <1759@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Jun-85 02:13:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: aecom.1759
Posted: Thu Jun 13 02:13:15 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Jun-85 02:11:18 EDT
Distribution: na
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 56
Xref: pepe net.med:533 net.consumers:980


	From American Medical News, June 7
	"Scientists seek research proof on diet drugs"

	Manufacturers of non-prescription diet drugs should be required to
prove that their products are effective,  scientists urged legistlators
at a recent congressional hearing.
	"I do not believe that the makers of herbal medicines should be
treated any differently than the makers of medicines of other kinds," said
Varro E. Tyler, PhD, dean of Purdue U. School of Pharmacy and an authority
on herbal medicine.
	Under current law, the government has the burden of proving that a
diet scheme does not work as advertised.
:
	The claims made for Herbalife products are false and deceptive.
Even if the herbs had such effect, the Herbalife doses are too small to
have any impact.  Moreover, the products may be tosic to consumers.

Those products under fire:

* Slim and Trim Formulas 1,2,3,4
	"They are unlikely to 'cleanse the system' and have been linked with
several deaths and near-deaths."  They are not nutitrionally complete or
balanced.

* Cell-U-Loss
	The product said to eliminate Cellulite and eliminate excess fluids
is a mild diuretic.  There is no evidence that diuretics can reduce
flabbiness or depress appetite.

* Herbal-aloe
	Two of its three herbs: comfrey and chaparral, are known to cause
malignant tumors and kidney damage in rats.

* NRG (Nature's Raw Guarana)
	Contains as much Caffeine as a strong cup of coffee, although this
is not indicated on the label.  As a result, could cause complications in
unsuspecting people who are caffeine sensitive (muscle tremors, and heart
problems.)

* Schizadra Plus
	Billed as an "adaptogen, " reported to combat premature aging.  Two
tablets contain 180 mg.  Even if effective, physicians report it would take
a 1/4 lb (550,000mg) to have any effect.

* Tang Kuei
	Sold as an aid to regualr menstruation and "herbal nutrition." Made
from chinese plant Angelica Polymorpha.  There are no acceptable clinical
studies of the drug.  Moreover, Herbalife doses are only 1/5-1/25 of those
recommended in Chinese recipes.


-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		"The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"