The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a voluntary recall of several dietary supplements sold under the VidaSlim name due to the detection of a toxic substance, yellow oleander, in samples. Motivate Me Ashley, LLC, an establishment based in Texas, is the maker of VidaSlim and is recalling 11 products marketed as containing medicinal roots. The announcement of this voluntary recall came on Friday, December 13, immediately after the inclusion of VidaSlim products in an FDA warning regarding contamination by toxic yellow oleander.
Read more: Sushi, salads, and sliced vegetables join the expanded cucumber recall – These are the new recalled products.
Dangers of yellow oleander and recalled VidaSlim products
It is the plant yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana), which is poisonous and causes serious health effects if ingested. The symptoms of yellow oleander poisoning are gastrointestinal disturbances, neurologic symptoms, and cardiovascular disturbances. Most FDA-approved products marketed as tejocote root, Crataegus mexicana, or Mexican Hawthorn have been related to this poison, as this plant’s traditional use is purportedly for benefits such as better digestion and less inflammation. Sadly, even ingestion of this substance exposes one to high morbidity and mortality risks. Here are VidaSlim products that recall different types of ‘root’ products sold in sample pouch sizes, containers of 30 days and 90 days, and flavored pouches of Hot Body Brew. These were already sold online through the official website of VidaSlim, independent distributing partners, and other third-party sites. All these recalled products have expiration dates from December 2024 to December 2025 found at the bottom of the bottles or at the back of the pouches.
The recalled supplements are:
- VidaSlim 90-day Original Root (green label)
- VidaSlim 90-day Root Capsules (orange label)
- VidaSlim 90-day Root Plus (blue label)
- VidaSlim 30-day Original Root (green label)
- VidaSlim 30-day Root Capsules (orange label)
- VidaSlim 30-day Root Plus (blue label)
- VidaSlim Hot Body Brew (peach and strawberry flavors)
- VidaSlim 7-day Sample Pouches for Original Root, Root Plus, and Root Capsules
The products mentioned should no longer be consumed and should be returned to the vendor for the purpose of a refund or exchange. VidaSlim has established a customer service center for interrogations concerning recall. Customers can reach VidaSlim via a phone call at (210) 334-0664 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. CT between Monday and Friday or through email at customerservice@vidaslim.com.
Investigation into Tejocote supplements continues
So, the FDA warnings about yellow oleander poison are part of the larger investigation into tejocote root products. Following the CDC’s report on health consequences in 2023, the current investigation heads towards yellow oleander-tainted supplements, as one of the major specific complaints from the report was a case on a toddler who mistakenly took the mom’s weight-loss safe and developed complications of vomiting, low blood pressure, and slow pulse after consuming it in 2022. Fortunately, the child recovered fully after medical intervention.
Therefore, an FDA investigation shows that several products labeled as tejocote root contain yellow oleander. While some of the companies acted, others have not and are still being monitored. Some of these brands include Alipotec and Eva Nutrition, among those conducting similar recalls.
So far, no illnesses have been reported by VitaSlim products, but consumers have been warned to be vigilant and stop using the recalled supplements. The FDA stressed the importance of making these products and demonstrated that yellow oleander is an example of the proven dangers present in mislabeling or adulterating supplements in the open market.
The FDA continues to work with manufacturers and distributors to withdraw potentially harmful products from circulation. Consumers ought to continue reviewing information on the status for updates and checking the safety of supplements using recall notices on the FDA website.
