The Bottom Line:
1) In the sports nutrition
industry, it is buyer beware. There are lots of rogue manufacturers out there
who care more for their bottom line than your well being. Do your homework and
search for reputable companies with a long track record of product quality and
ethical standards. There are some out there.
2) Ignore the outlandish
claims, no matter how appealing. Once again, stick with establishing companies
with a track record of product integrity. Only use sports supplements that are
backed by clinical studies showing that they are both safe and
effective.
3) Be particularly cautious about sports supplements that
claim to burn fat or give you energy. They generally contain metabolic
stimulants, and often those stimulants are poorly characterized. Most have not
been proven to be effective, and some have the potential to do more harm than
good.
4) Fat burning supplements are often cross marketed as weight
loss supplements. They are just as dangerous for dieters as they are for
athletes.
5) Don’t assume that just because the ingredients supposedly
come from a natural source (geraniums, Bael trees or dendrobium orchids, for
example) they are safe.
Keeping your health in Focus,
Mary Beth Potrykus
These statements have not been evaluated by
the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Thank you Dr. Stephen Chaney for providing this valuable information.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Fat burning supplements--Hype or Help
OxyElite Pro and Aegeline
In case you thought that was an isolated case, the same sports supplement manufacturer has recently been involved in a second case that sounds all too familiar.
• The FDA recently advised consumers to stop using OxyElite Pro after reports of 24 cases of acute non-viral hepatitis (a very rare disease) in users of that sports supplement in Hawaii. Two of those patients required liver transplants, and one of them died.
• In this case the manufacturer stopped domestic distribution of the product, but argued that the product is safe. They claimed that counterfeit versions of OxyElite Pro were being sold in the US market.
• On October 11, 2013 the FDA sent a warning letter to the manufacturer stating that the active ingredient, aegeline, was not a lawful dietary ingredient. The manufacturer replied that it was a natural constituent of the citrus fruit tree Bael. (I’m not sure why that makes it safe. I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat a lot of Bael fruit.)
• As of a few days ago England, Denmark, Spain, Australia & New Zealand have warned consumers in those countries not to use OxyElite Pro.
It’s too early to tell how this story is going to turn out, but my money is with the FDA.
Craze and DEPEA
And, in case you thought the problem was with a single rogue manufacturer, there is a developing story around yet another popular sports supplement, Craze, made by a different manufacturer.
• Researchers from the NSF, Harvard and the National Institute for Public Health in the Netherlands recently published a paper claiming that Craze contained DEPEA, a methamphetamine-like compound.
• The manufacturers claimed that the researchers did the chemical analysis incorrectly and their product actually contained a close analog of DEPEA that is found in dendrobium orchids. (Again I’m not sure why that makes it OK. I don’t think people eat a lot of dendrobium orchids either).
Stay tuned. I’m sure this story will have some interesting twists before it’s finished.
Check in November 7th for the conclusion of this insightful information.
*Thank you to Dr. Stephen Chaney who has provided this information.
In case you thought that was an isolated case, the same sports supplement manufacturer has recently been involved in a second case that sounds all too familiar.
• The FDA recently advised consumers to stop using OxyElite Pro after reports of 24 cases of acute non-viral hepatitis (a very rare disease) in users of that sports supplement in Hawaii. Two of those patients required liver transplants, and one of them died.
• In this case the manufacturer stopped domestic distribution of the product, but argued that the product is safe. They claimed that counterfeit versions of OxyElite Pro were being sold in the US market.
• On October 11, 2013 the FDA sent a warning letter to the manufacturer stating that the active ingredient, aegeline, was not a lawful dietary ingredient. The manufacturer replied that it was a natural constituent of the citrus fruit tree Bael. (I’m not sure why that makes it safe. I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat a lot of Bael fruit.)
• As of a few days ago England, Denmark, Spain, Australia & New Zealand have warned consumers in those countries not to use OxyElite Pro.
It’s too early to tell how this story is going to turn out, but my money is with the FDA.
Craze and DEPEA
And, in case you thought the problem was with a single rogue manufacturer, there is a developing story around yet another popular sports supplement, Craze, made by a different manufacturer.
• Researchers from the NSF, Harvard and the National Institute for Public Health in the Netherlands recently published a paper claiming that Craze contained DEPEA, a methamphetamine-like compound.
• The manufacturers claimed that the researchers did the chemical analysis incorrectly and their product actually contained a close analog of DEPEA that is found in dendrobium orchids. (Again I’m not sure why that makes it OK. I don’t think people eat a lot of dendrobium orchids either).
Stay tuned. I’m sure this story will have some interesting twists before it’s finished.
Check in November 7th for the conclusion of this insightful information.
*Thank you to Dr. Stephen Chaney who has provided this information.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Fat Burning Supplements-Hype or help?
Are Fat Burning Sports Supplements Effective?
Because sports supplements are considered to be foods rather than drugs, the FDA cannot require sport supplements manufacture to prove that their products are either safe or effective. As a consequence, most sports supplement manufacturers don’t conduct clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of their products. Their claims are based on animal studies and testimonials. However, in most cases there is no objective evidence that their supplements actually work.
Are Fat Burning Sports Supplements Safe?All stimulants carry some risk. Even small amounts of caffeine can be problematic for some individuals, and many sports supplements contain massive amounts of caffeine. But, it is not caffeine containing sports products that are the most worrisome.
Many sports supplement manufacturers are firm believers in the “better living through chemistry” motto.
• They start with an herbal ingredient that has stimulant properties
• They label it a fat burner, prepare their claims and they’re ready to go to market
Case Study #1: Jack3D and DMAA
• After a couple of marines died after using Jack3D prior to a workout, the US military ordered that the product not be sold on their bases. The manufacturer continued to make the product. GNC stopped selling it on military bases, but continued to sell it in all its other stores.
• Eventually the FDA stepped in and recommended that Jack3D not be sold. The manufacturer claimed that the active ingredient, DMAA, was found in the geranium extract they used in their product. Since that was a food ingredient, they claimed the FDA did not have jurisdiction.
• The FDA denied that claim based an extensive testing of geranium extract. At that point the manufacturer stopped making it (They have since resuming making the product with yet another poorly tested stimulant). GNC said they would stop selling Jack3D “as soon as their inventory was used up”.
• The FDA finally had to raid the GNC warehouses to get the product off the market.
Check in tomorrow for the rest of the story.
This information is provided by Dr.Stephen Chaney (Health Tips Professor)
Because sports supplements are considered to be foods rather than drugs, the FDA cannot require sport supplements manufacture to prove that their products are either safe or effective. As a consequence, most sports supplement manufacturers don’t conduct clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of their products. Their claims are based on animal studies and testimonials. However, in most cases there is no objective evidence that their supplements actually work.
Are Fat Burning Sports Supplements Safe?All stimulants carry some risk. Even small amounts of caffeine can be problematic for some individuals, and many sports supplements contain massive amounts of caffeine. But, it is not caffeine containing sports products that are the most worrisome.
Many sports supplement manufacturers are firm believers in the “better living through chemistry” motto.
• They start with an herbal ingredient that has stimulant properties
• They label it a fat burner, prepare their claims and they’re ready to go to market
Case Study #1: Jack3D and DMAA
• After a couple of marines died after using Jack3D prior to a workout, the US military ordered that the product not be sold on their bases. The manufacturer continued to make the product. GNC stopped selling it on military bases, but continued to sell it in all its other stores.
• Eventually the FDA stepped in and recommended that Jack3D not be sold. The manufacturer claimed that the active ingredient, DMAA, was found in the geranium extract they used in their product. Since that was a food ingredient, they claimed the FDA did not have jurisdiction.
• The FDA denied that claim based an extensive testing of geranium extract. At that point the manufacturer stopped making it (They have since resuming making the product with yet another poorly tested stimulant). GNC said they would stop selling Jack3D “as soon as their inventory was used up”.
• The FDA finally had to raid the GNC warehouses to get the product off the market.
Check in tomorrow for the rest of the story.
This information is provided by Dr.Stephen Chaney (Health Tips Professor)
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