The FDA has widened its warning about tejocote-root weight-loss supplements that testing found contaminated with yellow oleander, a poisonous plant that can trigger severe or fatal heart, neurological, and digestive problems.
What's new
On September 17, the agency added three more products to its warning list: Easy Forte Natural Fiber, sold through Amazon by Comercializadora Naturista del Bajio, and Niwali Tejocote Pieces and Niwali Tejocote Capsules, sold by Global Mix Inc. through eBay and Everymarket.com. They join more than a dozen other tejocote-root products the FDA has flagged this year, including Slim Elixir, D Magic Plus, B. Magi, Chupa Panza, SiluetaYa Mexican Tejocote Roots, VidaSlim, and ALIPOTEC ELV Mexican Tejocote Root.
Why it's dangerous
Tejocote root itself is a traditional Mexican fruit used in some folk remedies, but FDA testing found that some products marketed as tejocote actually contain yellow oleander (Cascabela thevetia), a toxic plant that closely resembles it. The FDA says yellow oleander can cause neurological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular effects "that may be severe, or even fatal," including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dangerous changes in heart rhythm.
