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Jillian Michaels Sued Over Weight Loss Pills
Posted on Feb 19th 2010 2:00PM by Martha EdwardsFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
February hasn't been the best month for Jillian Michaels -- the famous Biggest Loser trainer and fitness guru has been sued not once, but three times over her Calorie Control pills. First, a woman named Christie Christensen filed a lawsuit against Michaels and the product's manufacturers, Thin Care, Basic Research and Walgreens, claiming that the product made false allegations. "Telling people you take two magic pills and then eat chocolate cake all day [and lose weight] is a deception," said Christensen's lawyer, Melissa Hartnett. Jillian's legal team fired back with a statement indicating that they stand by the product. "That research was reviewed by some of the leading weight-loss experts in the world before Jillian would put her name on the product," the statement said. "We are confident we will prevail."
Now, in a lawsuit filed February 16th, a woman named Kathy Hensley is alleging that not only do Michaels' pills not work, but they're also dangerous. Hensley claims that an herb, which isn't even listed as an ingredient in Jillian's Calorie Control capsules -- citrus aurantium -- is "potentially lethal" as it can cause heart problems in some individuals.
Michaels is speaking up in her own defense. After the first suit was filed, Michaels told Us Weekly in a statement that the claims against her pills -- which contain coffee bean extract and guarana -- are "entirely without merit. I stand behind all of my products."
The herb Hensley alleges are in Calorie Control, which is also known as "bitter orange," has been likened to the dangerous weight loss supplement ephedra by many experts. Studies from 2004 on citrus aurantium found that not only does the herb show no evidence of helping with weight loss, it could be dangerous. "Unless and until the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of C. aurantium extracts are established, consumers should be advised to avoid C. aurantium–containing weight-loss products," wrote primary author Adriane Fugh-Berman, an associate professor of complementary and alternative medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Even so, no adverse side effects or serious complications have actually been directly linked to the herb.
The same studies also pointed out that citrus aurantium may also be difficult to avoid as it's not always labeled on weight loss products. "Citrus oils are considered by the Food and Drug Administration to be generally recognized as safe and are commonly used as food flavorings and additives," wrote Fugh-Berman. "Manufacturers are not required to state the amount present nor the botanical name."
Remember, diet supplements are not regulated the same way as drugs by the FDA, and do not undergo the same scrutiny before going on the market.
Here at That's Fit, we love to watch the emotional and physical transformations on "The Biggest Loser," which come from eating right and lots of sweat. For anyone looking to lose weight, a healthy diet and exercise should be the first step.
In the meantime, remember that the only person you should trust with weight loss advice is your doctor.
