Toxic Yellow Oleander Found in Some Weight Loss Supplements, FDA Warns

Toxic yellow oleander has been found in all of the tejocote root samples tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), causing them to issue a warning about the supplement on Friday.

The investigation was prompted by a September Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  report that found yellow oleander, which can be fatal, in weight loss supplements that claimed to contain tejocote root. The report followed a 23-month-old baby who had been taken to an emergency room in New Jersey after accidentally consuming Eva Nutrition Natural Tecote Root, a weight loss supplement that belonged to the child’s mother. 

The child experienced a low heart rate and blood pressure, nausea and vomiting, but was treated and released from the hospital. These symptoms, as well as dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain and irregular heartbeat can occur when the poisonous plant is ingested. 

Since then, the FDA has tested nine samples of tejocote root supplements bought from Amazon, Etsy and other websites, and discovered that they all contained yellow oleander, a plant native to Mexico and South America. All of the products tested can be found on the FDA website.

Health officials recommend that consumers throw out any tejocote root products and see a doctor immediately if they have recently consumed these supplements. Even if they haven’t taken them recently, consumers should notify their primary care physicians, the FDA says. The agency’s investigation is ongoing and they are working with third-party vendors where the supplements are sold.

The FDA does not approve dietary supplements or verify the accuracy of their labels. Manufacturers are responsible for the safety of their products, but experts warn that the lack of government oversight may allow dangerous ingredients on the market, which in 2021 was worth an estimated $149.5 billion globally. 

A recent study that analyzed 57 supplement products found that 40% of products did not contain a listed ingredient, and many included ingredients that were not listed.

In August, the FDA alerted consumers of certain “sexual enhancement” and "male energy" supplements that contained hidden ingredients that posed “a significant health risk.” Some contained tadalafil, the active ingredient found in the erectile dysfunction drug Cialis, while others contained sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. Such unlabeled ingredients can interact with other drugs, such as blood pressure medication, in dangerous ways.