Fruta Planta Weight Loss Products Linked to Heart Attacks, Death

Washington, DCThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use "Fruta Planta" a product promoted and sold on various websites, such as www.frutaplanta.com, as a dietary supplement for weight loss. FDA has received multiple reports of adverse events associated with the use of this product, including several cardiac events and one death.

The website frutaplanta.com falsely states that the product purchased from the website does not contain sibutramine and that it is "100% all natural."

FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that "Fruta Planta" does contain sibutramine.

Sibutramine is a controlled substance that was withdrawn from the market in October 2010 for safety reasons. The product poses a threat to consumers because sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias or stroke. This product may also interact in life threatening ways with other medications a consumer may be taking.