Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., March 13, 2009 Adar 17, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:50 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Israeli woman sues Herbalife, claims products caused liver disease By Ronny Linder-Ganz Tags: herbalife, israel news An Israeli woman filed a NIS 2.5 million lawsuit yesterday against Herbalife International and its Israeli affiliate, Herbalife Israel, claiming that the companies' products had caused her chronic liver disease, with the risk of future liver failure necessitating a transplant. In her suit, submitted to district court, Mali Nir, 54, alleged that products marketed by the California-based nutritional-supplements and weight-control company and its Israel affiliate as natural and promoting "health for life" destroyed her health. The suit claims that she "was never advised that consuming the companies' products could cause irreversible liver damage, and that they could even be poisonous to the body." Advertisement Nir said she began taking Herbalife supplements in 1998 and even signed on as an Herbalife distributor. She says that the first sign of a problem surfaced in 2001, when she began to experience fatigue and weakness. She then discovered that she had serious liver damage. When she stopped taking the supplements, her liver function reportedly returned to normal, but with indications of cirrhosis of the liver, along with problems that included pain, chronic fatigue, weakness and insomnia. Attached to the suit was a medical opinion from Hadassah Hospital internist Dr. Mayer Brezis. In it Brezis stated that research literature from as far back as the 1990s reported the risk of liver damage from herbal products, and that there was a high probability that the Herbalife products caused Nir's liver problems. The suit also alleges that Israeli researchers documented 12 cases of severe liver damage similar to Nir's in patients who used Herbalife products like the ones she took. Herbalife Israel said in a response that the company had not yet received the lawsuit. Herbalife sells a wide range of dietary supplements, appetite-control and weight-loss products, to "maximize your health and fitness goals," the company writes on its international Web site. Bookmark to del.icio.us   J'accuse Facing rape charges, Katsav says 'I haven't surrendered'. Capital punishment Madoff pleads guilty to huge financial swindle.   1.   How many other things are like this?Stay away from all of these.. 08:20  |  David 12/03/09   2.   Are such products tested before being sold in Israel? 09:42  |  SJ 12/03/09

Read & React Clinton: U.S. Gaza aid tied to recognition of Israel Responses: 129 Gideon Levy: Everyone agrees the war in Gaza was a failure Responses: 105 Pope: Vatican erred over bishop who denied Holocaust Responses: 13 Hamas condemns Gaza rocket strikes on Israel Responses: 37 Australia threatens to quit Durban 2 anti-racism meet Responses: 63 More Headlines 00:06 Katsav advisors resign after press conference 22:32 Facing rape charges, Katsav says 'I haven't surrendered' 23:20 Hamas strongman Zahar denies contacts being held over Shalit 20:24 Madoff pleads guilty to huge financial swindle 16:02 Hamas condemns Gaza rocket strikes on Israel 18:15 Pope: Vatican erred over bishop who denied Holocaust 16:48 Yisrael Beiteinu: Coalition deal won't be signed Thursday 13:32 Livni: Israel still a long way from achieving gender equality 20:50 Teens to Olmert: Enlisting in IDF tougher with Shalit in captivity 15:47 Australia threatens to quit Durban 2 anti-racism meet 13:02 Lawyer: Iraqi journalist jailed for 3 years for hurling shoes at Bush 12:02 Katsav accuser: 'He tried to take down my pants, there was a struggle' 13:27 Israeli wins French prize for book questioning origins of Jewish people 13:58 U.S. official slams Israel 'lobby' after withdrawing from top intel post Previous Editions Select Day 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 08 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 01 mar 27 feb

Special Offers Advertisement Spring Specials-Dan Hotels Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$ Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Summer in Israel Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009 Passover Vacations The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results

Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved