Hydroxycut is a brand of wildly popular weight loss supplements. The active ingredients, caffeine and green coffee bean extract, may help you lose weight. But weight loss and maintenance require long-term lifestyle changes, like a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Before the 2009 reformulation, formulations contained several substances with potential to harm the liver. After a series of reports in the medical literature of serious liver problems, including one death, the FDA warned consumers to stop using Hydroxycut, and Iovate agreed to voluntarily recall the products.

What Are the Dangers? Hydroxycut has reduced or eliminated some of the ingredients that caused concerns in its early formulations, most notably ephedra. However, since 2009 there have been a number of reported cases of liver failure, among other problems, that researchers have linked to Hydroxycut.

Hydroxycut may offer some weight loss benefits due to its caffeine content, but there is a lack of sound evidence to back this up. People should be aware that Hydroxycut has a dubious track record on safety.

Is Hydroxycut Safe? Hydroxycut's maker, Iovate Health Sciences International, says it puts raw ingredients through extensive quality assurance procedures. In 2009, Iovate recalled Hydroxycut after the FDA got reports of liver problems, seizures, and a muscle-damaging condition called rhabdomyolysis.

Hydroxycut Hardcore contains a highly concentrated form of caffeine and is targeted toward athletes and bodybuilders, claiming to support weight loss and boost energy levels. In contrast, Hydroxycut Original claims to support general weight loss. Currently, there is no research that either supplement is effective.

The agency pointed to 23 cases of liver-related problems associated with the use of Hydroxycut. These included jaundice, brown urine, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The agency said that while adverse events were rare, they were still cause for concern.

Is Hydroxycut Safe? Hydroxycut's maker, Iovate Health Sciences International, says it puts raw ingredients through extensive quality assurance procedures. In 2009, Iovate recalled Hydroxycut after the FDA got reports of liver problems, seizures, and a muscle-damaging condition called rhabdomyolysis.