Bee Pollen Products Under FDA Scrutiny

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants consumers to be aware of the potential health risks tied to some over-the-counter bee pollen products.

On Friday, the FDA issued warnings about three bee pollen products — sold as weight loss products — noting that they contained two undeclared ingredients that can harm consumers.

Those undeclared ingredients were sibutramine and phenolphthalein. Sibutramine was removed from the market five years ago because it could cause severe effects in heart disease patients and interact with other medications, according to the FDA. Phenolphthalein is not FDA-approved, and, according to the agency, past research has tied it to a raised risk of cancer.