Jillian Michaels, the popular star of the Biggest Loser and Losing it with Jillian, finds herself at the center of yet another controversy surrounding her weight loss products. A lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles claiming that one of her products contains a “potentially lethal combination of toxic ingredients.” According to a report by TMZ, the plaintiff (a woman who wants to remain anonymous for fear of harassment or retaliation) is seeking damages in excess of $10 million dollars.
The product in question is the Triple Process Total Body Detox & Cleanse which claims to help “* Reduce Belly Bloat* *Reduce Body Waste Buildup* *Without Harsh Chemical Laxatives or Fasting* *Support Colon and Digestive System* *Support the Liver’s Natural Detoxification Process* and *Make You Feel Lighter and More Energized*.” Although the ingredient list is not available on her website, the lawsuit alleges that the product contains a number of potentially harmful ingredients including Irish Moss Powder, Bearberry, Yarrow, Chinese Rhubarb and Fenugreek Seed.
What I think is really funny is that almost every blog or website that is reporting this story also has ad placements for Jillian’s weight loss products. On a more serious note, there are two main things we can take away from this story:
- Keep in mind that the FDA does not regulate diet supplements the same way they do “conventional” foods and drugs. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) most companies are NOT required to register or get approval from the FDA before products are put on the market. The manufacturer is the one responsible for ensuring the safety of its own products and for making sure the product label information is truthful and not misleading. Typically, the FDA will only investigate products if there are multiple complaints made of serious side effects (like when Ephedra was banned for example). This leaves a lot of gray area for companies to make quack claims without any proof of effectiveness or safety. That’s why I suggest staying away from products that make these outrageous claims in the first place.
- At the end of the day, we all know what really works. Eating well, exercising, staying hydrated and getting plenty of sleep. That’s your best bet in the long run for weight loss and weight maintenance and no worries about encountering a “potentially lethal combination of toxic ingredients.”
To read more about the lawsuit click here or here.
On a completely unrelated note, I wanted to share something I read about yesterday that I thought was really cool. It’s called Operation Beautiful. According to the Operation Beautiful website their mission is to “post anonymous notes in public places for other women to find” in an effort to remind each and every woman that they are beautiful…just the way they are. I love it! Be sure to check out their website and look for more on Operation Beautiful next week.
Have a fantastic weekend!
- Lauren
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Labels: Jillian Michaels, Lauren
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Very Important points about the Jillian thing.... people always want the quick fix but that does not work long term & for some, very hramful to their health & in some cases, quick fixes lead to death.
I wrote about Operation Beautiful today too. I love it!