Diet Pills Contain Potentially Harmful Chemical: FDA

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The weight-loss pill "Venom Hyperdrive 3.0" contains a significant amount of a chemical called sibutramine, which increases blood pressure and heart rate and puts people at risk for addiction, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned.

The agency said consumers should stop taking the product and contact their doctor if they're suffering any adverse health effects, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 is marketed by California-based Applied Lifescience Research Industries Inc. The company, which launched a recall of the product late last year after the FDA raised concerns, is replacing Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 with a newer version.

Charles Weller, general counsel for Applied Lifescience Research, told the Journal that the company hasn't pinpointed how sibutramine got into the original product, but said contaminated raw materials from China may be to blame.