A warning to supplement users: a Texas-based company is pulling several of its weight-loss products off the shelves after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered a potentially deadly ingredient in product samples.
On Dec. 13, the FDA and the company Motivate Me Ashley announced the recall of 11 products sold under the name VidaSlim online — including to consumers in Canada — and directly through distributors.
The recall followed FDA testing, which detected yellow oleander in product samples, raising concerns that other lots might also be affected.
Yellow oleander is a poisonous plant native to Mexico and Central America.
The FDA issued a warning as part of an ongoing investigation into products sold as tejocote root — also known as Crataegus mexicana, Raiz de Tejocote or Mexican Hawthorn — which were found to contain yellow oleander instead.
Tejocote root is a traditional remedy used for digestion, weight management, blood pressure and inflammation. However, FDA testing revealed that certain products labelled as tejocote root or Brazil seed were adulterated and contained toxic yellow oleander, posing a significant public health concern.
According to the FDA, consuming yellow oleander can lead to serious or even fatal neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular effects.
Reported symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, heart irregularities and arrhythmia.
The affected supplements include:
- VidaSlim 90-day (Original Root, Root Plus, and Root Capsules)
- VidaSlim 30-day (Original Root, Root Plus, and Root Capsules)
- VidaSlim 7-day Sample Size (Original Root, Root Plus, and Root Capsules)
- VidaSlim Hot Body Brew (strawberry and peach flavours)
Consumers who have purchased the VidaSlim products listed above with expiration dates between December 2024 and December 2025 are urged to discontinue use of them and return them to the place of purchase to be exchanged for a product of equal value (proof of purchase required).
There have been no reported illnesses linked to this recall, the FDA said.
For a more detailed list of the products impacted, visit the FDA website.