In continuing with the recent barrage against dietary supplements that contain 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), opponents of the ambiguous ingredient are pushing for a ban that would halt public distribution. One opponent of DMAA in particular, a researcher affiliated with Harvard, is calling for an out-and-out ban on DMAA-containing products because of their affiliation with severe, life-threatening complications. The researchers plea comes approximately one week after the FDA asked 10 manufacturers to provide safety information pertaining to the dietary supplement.
DMAA, a trending dietary supplement ingredient, has recently become popular among members of the bodybuilding community. Though relatively ambiguous in nature, this ingredient is intended to provide users with a temporary boost in workout energy and efficiency. The unique mechanism of action translates into a workout routine that supposedly provides quick and lasting results. A recent influx in popularity has witnessed this particular ingredient become the focal point of approximately 200 brand-name supplements including Code Red, Hemo Rage Black, Hydroxystim, Jack3D, Napalm, and Nitric Blast.
Having already established itself in the bodybuilding community, DMAA has been used by countless individuals seeking to build body mass and tone their muscles. However, recent months have witnessed a significant increase in the rate of adverse health effects. The concern is that DMAA may narrow blood vessels, which can increase blood pressure and lead to shortness of breath, tightening in the chest, or even heart attack. Up to this point, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received 42 adverse event reports about products containing DMAA.
Of particular interest to the healthcare community, are the mysterious deaths of 2 U.S. soldiers. According to an Army representative, DMAA has been identified in the toxicology reports of the two soldiers, each of whom suffered from a fatal heart attack during physical exercise. In addition to the two deaths, the Army representative acknowledged a possible association between DMAA products and an influx of kidney failure, seizures, loss of consciousness and rapid heartbeat in other military personnel.
According to Pieter Cohen, MD,”the main message about DMAA is that it should be avoided.” Cohen, an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, has become an opponent of the dietary supplement in recent weeks. Subsequently, Cohen has acknowledged that “this ingredient should never have been in supplements in first place.” As a result, Cohen has called for an out-and-out ban on DMAA-containing products.
“Currently research is being conducted to see how dangerous they are, but we know that there have been reports of death, stroke, and heart failure among people taking DMAA,” he says. Cohen published a letter in the Archives of Internal Medicine detailing his concerns about DMAA. “It is more potent than ephedra, and ephedra is already removed from the market,” he says. “At best, DMAA is a waste of money and at worst, it can damage your health.”
Do I Have a DMAA Lawsuit?
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