Letters To The Editor
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World J Hepatology. Oct 27, 2011; 3(10): 275-277
Published online Oct 27, 2011. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v3.i10.275
Revisiting acute liver injury associated with herbalife products
Kristy Appelhans, Casey Smith, Ezra Bejar, Y Steve Henig
Kristy Appelhans, Department of Product Compliance and Safety, Herbalife International of America Inc., Torrance, CA 90502, United States
Casey Smith, Ezra Bejar, Scientific Affairs, Herbalife International, Torrance, CA 90502, United States
Y Steve Henig, Chief Scientific Officer, Herbalife International, Torrance, CA 90502, United States
Author contributions: Appelhans K wrote the paper; Smith C, Bejar E and Henig YS contributed equally as editors and reviewers of the paper.
Correspondence to: Kristy Appelhans, NMD, Department of Product Compliance and Safety, Herbalife International of America Inc., 990 West 190th Street Suite 650, Torrance, CA 90502, United States. kristyr@herbalife.com
Telephone: +1-310-7192458 Fax: +1-310-7673375
Received: January 11, 2011
Revised: July 28, 2011
Accepted: September 20, 2011
Published online: October 27, 2011
Abstract

In the November 27, 2010 issue of the World Journal of Hepatology (WJH), three case reports were published which involved patients who had consumed various dietary supplements and conventional foods generally marketed as weight loss products. The reference to Herbalife products as contaminated and generally comparable to all dietary supplements or weight loss products is not scientifically supported. The authors provided an insufficient amount of information regarding patient histories, concomitant medications and other compounds, dechallenge results, and product specifications and usage. This information is necessary to fully assess the association of Herbalife products in the WJH case reports. Therefore, the article does not objectively support a causal relationship between the reported cases of liver injury and Herbalife products or ingredients.

Keywords: Herbalife; Liver; Hepatotoxicity; Weight loss products; Dietary supplements