Clients say Georgia companys vitamins made them sick

Veronica Gomez

17 August 2008

Over time, a Woodstock companys fruit-flavored vitamin supplement gained a faithful following.

Her knees became so agonizing she had to drop a ballet class, she revealed, and her long hair slid out in clumps. Products covered by the recall, said in March:. Gurley asserted doctors struggled to clarify why his blood chemistry and thyroid levels were out of strike, his kidneys were failing and his hair was falling out. As their symptoms worsened, Blasingame and Gurley stated that they continued to take their daily 1-ounce dose of Total Body Formula, thinking it was vital to their health. Issues with Total Body Formula products started in Jan as the 1st victims dropped sick, but health officers were not aware for 2 more months. All, it seemed, had used Total Body additions.

If he hadnt recounted anything to anyone, we'd not have known about it, claimed Roberta Hammond, the Florida Office of Healths food and waterborne illness coordinator. Tests by the FDA found the supplement contained high amounts of selenium in addition to levels of chromium that were seventeen times higher than commended. Thats been a giant issue with some folks, Melstrom asserted. Some found it deeply hard to even walk around. Melstrom is in the method this month of doing a 3rd survey to follow up on checks made in Apr and June. He has discovered that as time has passed and the product has left Total Body users systems, some symptoms have improved whilst others have worsened. These increases are going to be anticipated as it takes longer for selenium to reach hair and nails, which have tiny blood flow, Melstrom claimed. A new regulation that took effect late last year needs for the 1st time that supplement firms tell the FDA about client illnesses. Still, in the 1st half a year of this year, supplement firms have filed 368 of these imperative reports, the FDA announced. She was in the office of a new doctor, a dermatologist, looking for a 2nd opinion about why her long hair was falling out by the smattering. Jennifer Thomas, enforcement division director in the FDAs Center for Food Safety and Applied Nourishment , claimed she cant say what the agencys inquiry has found so far. I am extraordinarily close to having to go into dialysis, recounted Gurley, whose doctor is checking his blood every fortnight. Im sure there are folk who still do not know, he announced.