FDA Issues Warning About Widely Available Weight-Loss Product With ‘Highly Toxic’ Side Effects

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers about a highly toxic weight-loss supplement linked to potentially fatal side effects.

Products marketed as Nuez de la India seeds are widely available at wholesale and retail stores like eBay, Walmart, and Amazon and sold in capsule form. The FDA is advising consumers to stop using Nut Diet Max brand (seeds or capsules) or Todorganic Natural Products brand (seeds) products marketed as Nuez de la India because they may contain “highly toxic” yellow oleander, according to the FDA.

The products’ manufacturer announced the recall and urged consumers who purchased the products not to consume them and to return them to the place of purchase.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) launched an investigation into Nuez de la India seeds when a person in the state was hospitalized after consuming the Nut Diet Max Nuez de la India seeds sold by Miami-based OBC Group Corp.

Prior to the investigation, Nuez de la India seeds were said to come from Aleurites moluccanus, a harmless flowering tree more recognizable to consumers when referred to as candlenut, candleberry, Indian walnut, kemiri, or varnish tree.

However, health officials recently discovered the supplement is actually comprised of yellow oleander seeds containing cardiac glycosides.

The FDA urges customers to exercise caution due to the similar appearance of nontoxic candlenut seeds and highly toxic yellow oleander seeds. FDA

Side Effects of Yellow Oleander

Cardiac glycosides are naturally occurring steroids that stimulate the heart. They are used to treat conditions like atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Even small amounts of cardiac glycosides resulting from yellow oleander plant poisoning can lead to toxicity, resulting in things like abnormal heart rhythms, sleepiness, vision issues, and stomachaches.

According to the FDA advisory, ingesting yellow oleander can cause neurological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular damage that can be severe or even fatal. Symptoms of poisoning may include:

• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Dizziness.
• Diarrhea.
• Abdominal pain.
• Cardiac changes.
• Dysrhythmia.

Despite its toxicity, yellow oleander is used globally in ethnomedicinal practices for treating certain diseases. It has also been used agriculturally as a biopesticide, insecticide, and fungicide. Some researchers theorize that yellow oleander’s toxicity to some ethnic groups but not others may relate to differences in human gut microbiomes.

Reporting Complaints and Adverse Reactions

Nuez de la India weight-loss products are also marketed as “botanical foods,” “slimming seeds,” “Indian Nuts for Weight Loss,” “India seeds for weight loss,” and “diet seeds.” The FDA urges consumers who have taken any of these products to contact their health care provider immediately, and customers who purchased them can contact the seller for a full refund.

“The FDA’s investigation is ongoing, and FDA will continue to provide information on any further actions as it becomes available,” officials said in the advisory statement. “FDA is working with federal and state partners to further address concerns related to these products and monitoring the market for adverse events, product complaints, and other emerging issues.”