Update 1/20/20. Japanese Hokkaido Weight Loss Pills are another in a long line of weight loss supplements from Japan, China, Vietnam, etc. aimed predominately at Americans. I admit I'd never heard of these slimming pills until it was brought to my attention by one of the readers of my blog. At various websites, these pills are said to be “in high demand,” and when I checked eBay, I saw some people selling them for over $60! Do these slimming pills work? Let’s see what the research says. This review contains updated and new information, thanks to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who tested Hokkaido weight loss pills and discovered what I suspected from the start… Also, see the review of Slim Trim U for more info.
Hokkaido Pills Ingredients
Hokkaido weight loss pills contain these ingredients.
- Dill Extract
- Chinese rose extract
- Trumpet Creeper extract
- Evening primrose extract
- Lotus
Is there any evidence that these ingredients help people lose weight? Let’s look at the research and see:
Dill Extract
They don’t tell you what “extract” they are talking about, but when I searched for weight loss research on dill, I found nothing. Dill does seem to have a diuretic effect so it may act as a natural water pill. I'm guessing that is why it’s in the ingredients.
Women who may be pregnant should avoid Hokkaido Weight Loss Pills. There is some speculation that dill may cause menstrual bleeding. I cannot find any research or case studies to substantiate this, however, but it is something to consider.
Chinese Rose Extract
Again, they do not tell us what specific extract they are talking about. What is the scientific name of the Chinese rose they are using? If anyone knows, let me know, and I will update this review.
Trumpet Creeper Extract
If you search for research on Trumpet Creeper, online, it can be a little difficult to find because its scientific name is Campsis radicans. Another name –albeit less scientific – is cow itch, which is a reference to how farm animals sometimes get a rash when they rub against it. This makes sense since the name “radicans” is the same classification as poison ivy (Rhus radicans).
That said, I could not locate any weight loss proof that Trumpet Creeper helps weight loss. When I googled Trumpet Creeper and weight loss, many sites that came up had to do with sites that sell weight-loss pills and that was no help. I then checked the National Library of Medicine and also couldn’t find anything. One problem with my search is that we are not told what extract of Trumpet Creeper is in Hokkaido weight loss pills.
Evening Primrose Extract
This is also called GLA, which stands for gamma-linolenic acid. The lack of evening primrose weight loss research makes me very skeptical. One study from the 1980s found evening primrose oil did not help weight loss.
Because evening primrose oil effects blood clotting, people taking blood thinners should avoid this product. There is also some perplexing cancer research hints that evening primrose oil might either reduce breast cancer growth or speed up breast cancer growth, depending on how much is used. The bottom line, if you have a history of cancer, talk to your doctor first.
The product Abdominal Cuts also has evening primrose oil. See that review for more info.
Evening primrose oil is sometimes used for PMS symptoms –with mixed results. Like Dill, women who may be pregnant should not use evening primrose oil.
It may be very dangerous. If you have my book on supplements see the chapter on evening primrose oil for more on its other uses.
Hokkaido FDA Update
In November 2012, The FDA alerted the public that Japanise Hokkaido Slimming Pills contained the weight loss drug called sibutramine, a weight-loss drug that was removed from the US market in 2010 because it posed significant health risks. Here is what the FDA said in their warning about Hokkaido pills:
“Sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or stroke. This product may also interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking.”
This explains the very strange symptoms people have been reporting in the comments.
Lotus
Human weight loss research on lotus cannot be located. I did locate one test-tube study where lotus and L carnitine reduced fat buildup inside fat cells. This is interesting but it’s a study of fat cells in test tubes. You are MUCH more complex than a test tube.
You may recall that lotus is one of the ingredients in Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen weight loss supplements.
On one of the websites that sell Hokkaido Pills, they spelled “primrose” wrong and there is broken English. Nobody is perfect but ingredient typos – and broken English on websites make me wonder about who put this website together.
Do Hokkaido Weight Loss Pills work?
Based on the research I can find, I say no, this stuff cannot possibly work – if these are the only ingredients in the pills. If people are losing weight, I am interested in hearing about it. Since I wrote this review, the FDA has confirmed what I thought all along – that Hokkaido slimming pills contained something not listed in the ingredients, a drug called sibutramine. Because of this, Hokkaido weight loss pills cannot be recommended.
What do you think?
Where can I buy theses bottles? Any reccomendations?
I don’t think my skin dryness was due to sunlight exposure. I am pretty healthy and work in an office. I don’t go tanning and I wear sunscreen. It was due to dehydration I am sure.
I am down to a size 4 from these pills. Another problem I had, has anyone tried working out with these? I wasn’t sure if these had elevated my anxiety since these are “uppers” and maybe I was experiencing a watered down panic attack or I was having heart issues.
When I worked out at the gym, my heart rate shot up during cardio. I am pretty fit as far as cardio work outs. I was a cross country runner and go hiking. My heart rate was off the map. Chest pains followed and I would get waves of being dizzy like I was going to pass out. I left the gym and haven’t had an issue since- but I also haven’t combined these with working out.
I don’t have heart problems and haven’t had a history of heart problems. I don’t eat fast food, drink soda, or eat overly processed foods. I am also only 20 and have maintained a healthy bmi and never been obese. Not sure if it caused heart issues when combined with working out or a small panic attack.
I have been taken these pills almost 3 weeks now, and i have dropped 7lbs. Two weeks prior to starting, I started to eat better, ie, no fast food or foods high in calories. Once that was easy for me to stick to I started the pills, and I’ve noticed a big difference. I didn’t lose any weight prior to them. Every morning I took them plus my vitamin and am full of energy, and don’t really crave sodas, or fast food. Today I treated myself to half a hamburger and a few fries and i shouldn’t have. These pills help with the storing of fat, meaning if you eat something that’s too fatty and your body shouldn’t store, well you’re going to be popping. So I highly recommend that before taking these pills, get yourself use to eating healthy, or you’re going to be using a lot of public bathrooms.
Joe – would Carol C be allowed to say where she got them from overseas. I know you’re very protective over the integrity of the information here. If not is it possible to get the information privately?
Inertia, sure if Carol wants to say that’s fine.
I forgot to add in my earlier post, I have taken Orlistat, and was even on the study to test it before it was approved by the FDA, and these Japanese Hokkaido pills def do NOT contain Orlistat. The stuff that comes out of you after taking Orlistat is in NO WAY the same as the loose stools this product (sometimes) causes, no matter how much greasy food is eaten.
I have been taking these pills on and off for several months and have lost 20 lbs. I purchased my first bottle off EBay, when I happened to noticed a sellers feedback where there were many repeat sales and comments such as “these really work”. I am a huge skeptic, and have tried every diet and diet pill out there, usually with no results. After seeing they really were effective, I looked on line for another (cheaper) source and have purchased them twice now from an overseas company, and had 5 bottles shipped to me directly with no problems.
I am drinking a little more water than usual, which is a good thing, but overall any other mild side effects are well worth the weight loss benefits. I never post reviews of any products, but this is comparable to fen-phen for me, the only appetite suppressant that has ever worked. I am slightly concerned that there is some other ingredient not listed which makes this work so well, but since I only have another 5 lb to lose, and then will keep a bottle or two on hand if my weight starts creeping up again, it is a risk I will take until the U.S. comes out with a safe and affordable alternative.
Are we suggesting these pills cause liver damage? Has anyone had elevated liver enzymes as a result of taking these drugs?
Hi Joe, thanks for the advice. After i posted my comment last thursday, i headed straight to the doctor and told her about my pains, and she has given me a medication for 2 months to relax my muscles as they have been so stiff and she said i am dehydrated! honestly, i also had worries about having a heart problem or breast cancer. thanks..it’s only muscle fatigue. and who wouldn’t have a muscle fatigue?..for all those 3 months, i only get 1-3 hours sleep then I’m all awake..and pass my time with farmville (lol)..all those clicks and maneuvers of the mouse..you know. while reading the posts here, i just come to realize that i was like drugged during those months that i was taking those pills..even my hubby was suspicious of my constant awaking in the night and head straight to my laptop, coz if i don’t and stay awake on bed?..i get so depressed. i hope this pill can be exposed.
GQ thanks for letting me know and I’m VERY glad I was wrong 🙂
Joe one other thing, i did not answer your question about the sunlight, i read on one of the hokkaido sites that one of the ingredients causes sensitivity to sunlight, although i dont remember where. I have done a lot of reading on this subject and the ingredients, and i have not found anything substancil to support this effect, i just know how it affected me as i do yard work everyday for a hour at home at 6 -7 am. And the iching it is still affecting me? maybe because it dehydrates the body, i do remember, one seller recomends to take the pills for two months on, one month off or you will continue to dehydrate.
yes when you said light sensitivity I thought about St Johns wort, which can do this, but there is no st johns wort in Hokkaido pills. Itching is sometimes a sign of an allergic reaction and it may also be a sign of liver problems or problems with other organs. What the heck is in those pills???
Joe i am done with these pills, regardless of what happens, if someone dies or becomes ill from long term use, and i supplied them i may be held liable, i am not sure of the law, but i know people sue doctors all of the time for malpractice or some kind of misdiagnosis, why do i want to take that chance?. I find these pills effects similar to meth, they give the high when you take them, then a few hours later you are somewhat normal( i always felt a little foggy later), but i noticed it took a week to completely remove all feelings of the drug from my system.
i am sure customs will not return them, the FDA will find something in them. I know two other persons who still do not have their orders after more than one month. I have a serious issue with anything that causes addiction, and i know these pills are very addictive, maybe there are others who do not feel the same, but my experience has not been great when i look back at how they affected me.
Hi, i was taking the pills and finished 3 bottles and started the 4th one. I lost the extra-extra pounds after pregnancy (child birth 1 year ago) while taking the pills and had the symptoms mentioned…dry mouth, flaking lips, watery stool, insomnia, dry hair, dry skin, unexplained energy even hours without food..but i have decided to stop before it is too late.
i am feeling that something in this pill is not doing good at all…to my internal organs and to my brain! and this is the reason why i come across to your article coz i am really searching for a possible connection of this pill to the pains i am feeling right now…if this pill affects the liver? i have a dull pain in my upper right shoulder, just on the shoulder blades radiating to my right side and under my right breast. i know it is crazy to think that i have a liver disease but the thought is just scaring me. i’ve got to see a doctor and do some tests as i have this pain since mid August. i have to reverse the effect of this pill by going back to exercise, safe diet with the right amount of food and intake time, get enough rest and sleep. i still have one bottle left less 6 pills and i am going to toss it to the trash bin when i get home.
GQ , have you told your doctor about the pain you are having in your back? Please call him/her and tell them this today. I know I am guiltily of looking at the worst case scenario sometimes but I thought I would mention that upper back pain can sometimes be a sign of heart trouble/heart attack in women. Sometimes the pain lingers fro a few weeks before a heart attack develops. I know I am probably wrong about this but just in case I am not I really want you to ask your doctor about this pain you are having. I would feel better if you did this. Since I don’t know you or your health, I think this is the best and safest course of action. I know i am probably wrong but would you do this for me and then write back and tell me that I was wrong. I would feel much better if you did that for me.
if your skin is peeling then you may have some other underlying health problem, you should know that hokkaido causes your skin to be sensitive to the sun and if you are not drinking enough water that could be it, do you live in a really dry area?, it made me itch and i had a real problem concentrating or staying focused on one project, i quit using it because i felt unusual or indifferent to many things including my clients and family.
It will make you sick if you do not eat a good breakfast: protein, carb and fruit, then some more protein for lunch and a good dinner, you will still lose weight, you just will not eat that much, and stay away from coffee and caffeine, it will help keep you from getting nervous, from being an experienced user of 3 months, i would say use it for a month or two bottles and wait a month before you start again. as of right now US Customs is holding all bottles from the Philippines and testing them.
i have been waiting for my order for over 6 weeks, and the chances of someone getting really sick are present if customs/FDA are holding and inspecting and you will be responsible if you are selling them and someone dies or falls ill. Some people just love these pills, to me they are an addiction, i asked my wife to stop taking them because she was just lost all of the time on them and i was in a similar state of mind. I have not taken them for a week now and i have my coordination back and i still eat less. I have also noticed my sex drive went to nothing when i was using them and my prostate was not working correctly. Many people have had similar problems, i have questioned everyone who took the pills i gave them, and everyone had some kind of problem.
Don, these are all very strange side effects. What ingredient in Hokkaido pills do you think is making people sensitive to sunlight? If the US Customs releases them, are you still going to sell them even though you say you and your wife both had very strange side effects?
In the morning I took two pills of my hokkaido diet yesterday and i forgot that i have schedule in the afternoon for my urine drugtests. And i am so worried about it, This will be affected for my urine drugtests?
Baby, if you read in the comments above by Beth you will see that Hokkaido pills did not red flag on any illegal drugs when she did a drug test on herself. I still think there may be a variability in the ingredients but I dont think there are any drugs like cocaine ect in the pills. I think your job urine test tomorrow will turn out ok but could you do everybody a favor and let us know how your test went. I am sure you are not the only person wondering about this. 🙂
thanks 4 d advice, ill continue taking them w/ xtra electrolyte fluids, bananas & more. so far my urine d/c is a bit more than usual, color is somewhat yellowish. bm 2-3 x /day sometimes loose/sometimes formed. i exercise daily. eat much less now since taking d pill and so far no more cravings for snacks. 18 lbs to go then ill stop taking them. thanks again… later…
Skin on my nose started peeling off as well as my chin and forehead, like dry flakes. I have never had skin like that before and I drink 3 liters of water a day. Haven’t changed my skin routine what so ever.
K. Well that is a new symptom! I suggest you stop taking the pills. let me know if your skin clears up
I did my own research on this pill, and found out that it definitely will decrease your electrolytes! The dry mouth is due to it taking ALL your water from your body, so each time you go: BM or urinate, you are losing very vital electrolytes: Case and point: Why do you think you are going so much? Because it is a fat absorber, a laxative, causes dry skin (depleting electrolytes) and headaches- electrolytes needing to be brought back to balance.
I took them to my Dr. recently, (Japanese). WHEN SHE SAW THEM: OMG! She said: you aren’t taking these are you? These are VERY ,VERY BAD. You can cause liver damage, electrolyte imbalance (See, I knew it) , worse off: Insomnia. Others have said this.
I told her I took the bottle from one of my friends who purchased it up north, and she wanted me to have them screened to see why they were working. But, sad to say: She was scheduled for blood work, when they tried to draw some blood from her, she was soooo severely dehydrated they couldn’t even produce a drop of blood.
She told them she was drinking water constantly all day. But as we know, as soon as we go to the bathroom, bm, & urine is extreme.
In conclusion: They are nothing except laxatives, (high dosage) not sure if it’s cascara sagrada which is VERY harmful over extended use.And the evening primrose gives you a feeling of calm since it is linked with lotus (flower). Why they make you not feel hungry?
Because trumpet creeper is a form of an appetite controller. She doesn’t advise anyone to use these pills! They are shipped to us Americans because they know we are gullible to try any type of ” Quick Fix” to lose weight. I’m sticking to her advice…AND LEAVING THEM ALONE.
DAY 2- 2lbs lighter(192lbs}. stilll dry mouth but no more insomnia, nor headaches. no cravings for snx, ate less & feeling of fullness almost instantly. biked 20 kms and lift wts @ d gym. later….
I bought hokkaido pills on one of my friend at school. She is selling Hokkaido Pills for 400 PESOS. My weight is 175 before, now 155. Hokkaido pills helps me a lot. I want to be fit so I can revenge to the girl who busted me 🙂 LOL. Thank you Sir for answering my questions ur blogs helps me a lot :))
These are exactly like Ziuxiutang. I wish there was a way to find out what is in these pills that make them work. I want to take them again but am afraid to do so.
I would be surprised if these didn’t contain Sibutramine.