FDA Advises Public to Stop Taking "Tianji True Slim"

The FDA has advised consumers to steer clear of a dietary supplement the agency says contains a controlled substance that was removed two years ago for safety reasons.

The food safety agency recommends consumers immediately stop using "Tianji True Slim" and discard it.

The product contains sibutramine, a controlled substance that "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," cautioned the FDA. "This product may also interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking."

FDA warns the public that its alert reflects "a growing trend of products marketed as dietary supplements or conventional foods with hidden drugs and chemicals."

The alert comes on the heels of a government report that raises questions as to whether the $20-billion-per-year dietary supplement industry is following the law.