Ten young, seemingly-healthy people have been admitted into Hawaii hospitals in the last five months[1] for varying degrees of liver inflammation and failure, and they only have one thing in common: They all took a certain dietary supplement for weight loss and/or muscle growth.


Yesterday, the Hawaii State Department of Health[2] (DOH) announced[3] an investigation into what could be causing the hospitalizations, some of which are “extremely severe[4] ” and even require liver transplants, according to State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park.


“The only common finding among all cases ... is the use of a dietary or nutritional supplement for the purpose of weight loss and/or muscle gain in the past six months[5] ,” the DOH stated in a press release yesterday.


Representatives from the Department of Health are not releasing information as to what supplement the patients were taking or what ingredient could be at fault. According to KHON[6] , the DOH cautions that a number of factors could be at fault[7] : a bad batch of the supplement, a particular toxic ingredient, or the supplement as a whole.


The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are participating in the investigation.


In 2009, the FDA recalled 14 products made by the diet supplement manufacturer Hydroxycut after the product was linked to at least 23 cases of severe liver damage and the death of a teenage boy.

[8]



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  • Afghan bodybuilders preform during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilder, Mohammad Yousuf Sakhi, lifts a trophy after he won the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An official hugs Afghan bodybuilder, Mohammad Yousuf Sakhi (C) after he won the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Officials congratulate Afghan bodybuilder, Mohammad Yousuf Sakhi (R) after he won the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder preforms during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders congratulate each other during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders preform during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder preforms during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder preforms during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder preforms during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan policmen looks at an Afghan bodybuilder getting ready to preform in the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders congratulate each other during the Mr. Afghanistan nation wide bodybuilding competition in Kabul on May 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permitted during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder Baryylai poses during training at the Super Gold Gym in Kabul on April 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder Baryylai poses during training at the Super Gold Gym in Kabul on April 9, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • A young boy flexes his muscles during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete in the welterweight class (less than 75 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete in the lightweight class (less than 70 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete in the bantamweight class (less than 65 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete in the lightweight class (less than 70 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete in the middleweight class (less than 80 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder prepares to compete in the middleweight class (less than 80 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • Afghan bodybuilders compete in the bantamweight class (less than 65 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • n Afghan bodybuilder prepares to compete in the middleweight group (less than 80 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)




  • An Afghan bodybuilder displays his medal won in the lightweight class (less than 70 kgs) during a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul on April 30, 2012. Bodybuilding is one of the country's most popular sports, even permited during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. AFP PHOTO/ JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GettyImages)