FDA warns supplement sold on eBay contains banned weight loss drug

The FDA has published a new recall that covers supplements sold on eBay, ones that, the agency warns, contain an undeclared drug called sibutramine that is used for weight loss. Though the drug was, at one point in time, an FDA-approved appetite suppressant, it was later pulled from the market over health concerns.

The recall involves a supplement called Hydro Pineapple Burn that, according to the recall notice, was sold through eBay by a seller with the ID "jongu 4308." The product was analyzed by the FDA, which said that it found undeclared sibutramine.

With this compound, the FDA classifies the supplement as an unapproved drug lacking efficacy and safety information. The FDA notes that sibutramine comes with many potential health consequences, particularly due to a known effect in some users that results in increased heart rate and/or blood pressure levels.

For this reason, people who have a history of congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart arrhythmias, or stroke are at "significant" risk if they take this supplement, according to the FDA. Hydro Pineapple Burn is marketed as a weight-loss dietary supplement.

The product was sold from May 29, 2021, to July 27, 2021, across the US, the recall notice reveals. The recall comes amid a warning from the FDA to avoid some weight loss supplements and 'male enhancement' products sold through online retailers over the risk of potentially dangerous ingredients.