ALERT - Dangerous Dietary Supplement Claims to be Natural Pain Reliever

ALERT: Dangerous Pain Pills Marketed as “100% Natural Dietary Supplement” for Arthritis & Joint Pain

Mexican dietary supplement called Reumofan has gained a loyal following in the United States as a "100% natural" treatment for arthritis and joint pain. It's supposedly made by a company called Riger Natural from ingredients such as shark cartilage, white willow and glucosamine, or so the labels say.

But consumers who buy Reumofan products are risking dangerous side effects and trusting their lives to a company that uses fake addresses, lies about the ingredients in its products and may not even exist, a recent USA TODAY investigation has found.

The FDA has issued several warnings that Reumofan contains three prescription medications that can cause dangerous, possibly life-threatening, side effects. So far, the FDA has received more than 60 reports of consumers suffering adverse health events including 28 categorized as serious, seven as life-threatening and three involving deaths.

The number of people using Reumofan is difficult to determine because the product is sold by multiple sellers online, in Mexican border stores, in some U.S. shops and at flea markets.

If you are taking Reumofan:

-- The FDA recommends you consult a doctor or other health care professional immediately. Besides the direct risks of the hidden ingredients on you, they may also dangerously interact with other medications you are taking.

-- Because of the risk of a serious withdrawal syndrome and life-threatening adrenal suppression, DO NOT abruptly stop taking the supplement. Some versions of Reumofan Plus contain the corticosteroid dexamethasone, and a health professional would need to assess whether medical intervention is needed to slowly taper you off of the corticosteroid.

-- To report suspected adverse health effects from Reumofan or any other dietary supplements to the FDA, call 800-332-1088 or go to www.fda.gov/medwatch

To learn more about Reumofan, read the articles I consulted for this alert:

~Maker of dangerous pain pills is 'ghost' that can't be found

~AARP: Buying Arthritis Supplements Online? A Warning