Cases of liver damage in isles total 41

The state Department of Health is now investigating 41 cases of acute hepatitis and liver failure in Hawaii, possibly related to weight-loss or muscle-building dietary supplements.

There were 34 cases reported as of Oct. 17.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers against using Oxy­ELITE Pro and VERSA-1, which may have led to the medical problems primarily hitting Hawaii residents. Both products are manufactured by Dallas-based USP Labs and contain aegeline, an herbal extract.

The FDA says the manufacturer has failed to provide adequate evidence of the ingredient’s safety as required by law, and wrote to USP Labs that aegeline has not been safety-tested for human consumption.

Of the 41 cases, 17 patients have had to be hospitalized, said Department of Health spokes­man Mark Berthold. One patient died and two patients had liver transplants. The breakdown of cases by county are as follows: Oahu, 29; Hawaii, eight; Maui, one; and Kauai, three.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website says several individuals from outside Hawaii have reported Oxy­ELITE Pro or other weight-loss or muscle-building supplement use before developing acute hepatitis.