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Updated: May 15, 2026
06:19
Chinese Herbal Retention Enema for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis
Published on: May 16, 2025
Ulcerative colitis associated with the herbal weight loss supplement Hydroxycut
Vernon Sivarajah1, Quddus Abdul, Helen Pardoe
1Department of General Surgery, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. vernonsivarajah@nhs.net
BMJ Case Reports
|January 8, 2013
Summary
A young man developed severe ulcerative colitis after consuming a herbal weight loss supplement. Despite medical treatments, he required surgery, highlighting potential risks of unregulated supplements.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Herbal weight loss supplements are widely available but may contain undisclosed ingredients.
- Adverse gastrointestinal events have been anecdotally linked to some supplements.
Observation:
- A 25-year-old male presented with severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain, recurrent after consuming Hydroxycut Hardcore X.
- Imaging revealed bowel wall thickening and fat stranding; sigmoidoscopy showed congested mucosa with ulcers, consistent with ulcerative colitis.
Findings:
- Histological analysis confirmed ulcerative colitis.
- Initial treatment with steroids, cyclosporine, and azathioprine failed to induce remission.
- The patient ultimately required a subtotal colectomy with end ileostomy.
Implications:
- This case suggests a potential link between Hydroxycut Hardcore X and the development of severe ulcerative colitis.
- It underscores the importance of thorough patient history, including supplement use, in diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease.
- Further research is needed to identify specific ingredients in such supplements that may trigger gastrointestinal inflammation.
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