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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Jillian Michaels’ Detox|Might Kill, Class Claims

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Fitness guru and "Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels sells a diet supplement, the Triple Process Total Body Detox & Cleanse, that "just might kill you," according to a class action in Superior Court.

"It contains a potentially lethal combination of toxic ingredients that can cause ulcers, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, liver damage, and diarrhea," the class claims, "which is not how consumers expect to be 'detoxed and cleansed.'"

Lead plaintiff R.D., who sued under her initials "due to her very real fear of retaliation OR harassment," says Michael's detox-cleanse program contains a host of ingredients that "are dangerous and potentially lethal," including Irish moss powder, a red seaweed extract that's used in gel form to dissolve ice on airplane wings; buckthorn, an aged bark that's so dangerous it's banned in some over-the-counter drugs; bearberry, known to cause nausea and vomiting; yarrow, a toxic lawn weed; Chinese rhubarb, a "harsh laxative and dangerous diuretic" that can cause irreversible liver damage; and Fenugeek seed, "which interferes with digestion and causes both diarrhea and gas."

Michaels and Thin Care International, a Utah-based company affiliated with the celebrity trainer, advertised the detox program as a way to "make weight loss simple" without "harsh chemicals" or laxatives, the lawsuit claims.

R.D. says she bought Michaels' detox and cleanse to feel "lighter and more energized," as advertised. "As such, it was worthless to her," the lawsuit states.

Though the class demands more than $10 million, R.D. insists the case "is not about money."

"She simply wants [Michaels and Thin Care] to stop poisoning the public and give consumers their money back," the complaint states.

The class also demands an injunction and disgorgement for violations of California's business and professions code. It is represented by Scott Ferrell of the Newport Trial Group.

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