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Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s “Garcinia” dietary supplement (Photo = Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korea)] |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Seoul, September 23, 2025 – The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced a full recall of certain Garcinia cambogia extract-based dietary supplements following reports of liver damage linked to their consumption.
According to the MFDS, two separate consumers experienced hepatitis-like symptoms on August 25 and 27 after ingesting Garcinia supplements shortly after alcohol consumption. Following review, the Health Functional Food Deliberation Committee concluded that the causal relationship between the product and the adverse events was “very high” (Grade 5).
The affected products are “Garcinia” supplements manufactured by Natural Way and distributed by Daewoong Pharmaceutical, with expiration dates of April 17–18, 2027.
Safety Measures and Labeling Update
Although neither MFDS inspections nor independent quality tests detected any violations of safety standards, the ministry has mandated precautionary measures to protect consumers. Going forward, Garcinia cambogia extract products must carry the warning:
“May rarely cause liver injury. Avoid alcohol consumption during use.”
MFDS also announced plans to collect additional domestic and international case reports through next year to further evaluate the causal link between alcohol use and liver damage.
Company Response
Daewoong Pharmaceutical, which distributed the product, voluntarily initiated a full recall and refund process on September 2. The company stated,
“Independent testing by accredited agencies found no abnormalities. However, we proactively recalled the product to ensure customer safety. Given that the reported cases involved concurrent alcohol consumption, we believe the reaction may be related to the raw ingredient’s characteristics. We will fully cooperate with MFDS should it conduct a re-evaluation of ingredient safety.”
Consumer Advisory
Authorities urged consumers to immediately stop taking the recalled product and return it to the point of purchase for a refund. MFDS also warned that excessive intake of fat-reduction supplements or combining them with other similar products may increase health risks, advising consumers to strictly follow recommended dosages and usage instructions.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
