Filed under: Dietary supplements
Aconitum kusnezoffii—one of several plants known as aconite—is being marketed in some dietary supplement products as a source of the stimulant 2-aminoisoheptane. All aconites naturally contain a toxin called “aconitine” and are considered poisonous. Although some types of aconite are used in traditional Chinese medicines, the plant must be properly processed, or it can be dangerous and lethal. Even when properly processed, it can still be dangerous.
There is no scientific evidence that 2-aminoisoheptane, also called octodrine or DMHA, occurs in aconite or anywhere else in nature. Octodrine is a nasal decongestant, first made in a laboratory in 1944. Without laboratory testing, there’s no way to know if a dietary supplement product labeled with this ingredient contains 2-aminoisoheptane or aconite (or both) or any of the other toxic chemicals found in aconite. Bottom line: If a product lists “2-aminoisoheptane (Aconitum kusnezoffii)” as an ingredient, it could be problematic.
Since May 2016, 43 dietary supplement products have been added to the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) High-Risk Supplement List, bringing the total number of products on the list to 247. Together with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), OPSS frequently updates the list to help you stay informed about current high-risk products. You can access the High-Risk Supplement List from the OPSS web page or download the app (from the Apps tab) to your phone or tablet and take it wherever you go. If you’re considering dietary supplements, be sure to check back often for more updates.
Picamilon goes by many names, such as pikatropin and nicotinyl-gamma-aminobutric acid, but one thing it can’t be called is a dietary ingredient. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration declared that picamilon is not a legal ingredient in dietary supplements and sent warning letters to 5 companies whose dietary supplement products contained picamilon. So why is it illegal? Find out in the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) FAQ about picamilon.
If you want to learn more about other questionable ingredients, explore the OPSS FAQs about dietary supplement ingredients.
Hemp is turning up in a variety of foods, beverages, and dietary supplements, and most service members need to keep an eye out for this ingredient on product labels. While hemp provides important nutrients such as protein, it also contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient in marijuana. The levels of THC in hemp used for food and supplements are much lower than those in marijuana, so products containing hemp shouldn’t get you “high.” But don’t run to the store just yet! Although DoD does not have a specific policy regarding hemp, each service does. Check the OPSS FAQ about hemp for your service’s policy on hemp.
Before you reach for dietary supplements marketed as “testosterone boosters,” consider this: They probably won’t produce the results you’re looking for, and while some of the ingredients in these products might not be cause for concern, others might put your health and career at risk. To learn more about the safety and effectiveness these types of supplements, visit the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) FAQ about testosterone boosters. However, if you’re concerned about your testosterone levels or if you’re experiencing related symptoms such as low sex drive, insomnia, or depression, talk to your healthcare provider.
Another ingredient that has been showing up in dietary supplement products recently is Acadia rigidula. FDA recently declared that it is not acceptable in such products because it falls in the class known as a “new dietary ingredient.” A. rigidula is just the latest in a series of ingredients FDA has disallowed for this reason. Others include DMAA, DMBA, BMPEA, and aegeline. Visit the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) FAQ about Acacia rigidula to learn more, and explore the OPSS FAQs about ingredients to learn about others not permitted in dietary supplement products. especially BMPEA, which has been associated with A. rigidula.
Military training and pregnancy increase women’s nutritional needs, specifically for vitamin D, calcium, iron, folate, and iodine. While HPRC always recommends choosing whole foods first, sometimes it can be difficult to get enough of those nutrients through food alone. When nutrient needs are higher than normal or when nutrient-rich foods aren’t available, vitamin and mineral supplements can help women to restore nutrient levels in their bodies. Just remember that you don’t need supplements unless you have known nutrient deficiencies, so talk to your healthcare provider before taking any supplement. Read more...
If you’ve searched recently for dietary supplements to enhance your performance, you may have come across products marketed as “ketone supplements.” Before you consider taking any of these products, read the new Operation Supplement Safety FAQ about ketone supplements. Learn what ketone supplements are and if they’re worth the often-hefty price tag.
If you’re curious about other supplements marketed for performance, check out the OPSS Performance FAQs. Can’t find the answers you’re looking for? Send us a question using our Ask the Expert feature.
The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that methylsynephrine (also known as oxilofrine) “does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary supplement ingredient.” So what does this mean? Products containing methylsynephrine are adulterated and can’t be marketed legally as dietary supplements. Methylsynephrine is also prohibited in sport because it’s a pharmaceutical drug (not currently approved in the U.S) and a stimulant that increases blood pressure and affects heart rate. What’s more, some supplements have been found to contain methylsynephrine in amounts equal to or greater than pharmaceutical doses.
The consequences of taking methylsynephrine in large amounts or in combination with other stimulants aren’t entirely known, but one product containing this ingredient and other stimulants has been linked to nausea, vomiting, agitation, increased heart rate, chest pain, and cardiac arrest. If you’re considering taking a dietary supplement with methylsynephrine or oxilofrine on the label, you might want to think twice. For more from FDA, please see “Methylsynephrine in Dietary Supplements.”
SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators) are unapproved, experimental drugs sometimes illegally marketed and sold as dietary supplement products. They’re also available on the Internet in other forms, but their use in sport is prohibited. Use of SARMs can affect military performance and readiness.
Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) has an FAQ about SARMS, including a link to a list of more than 200 dietary supplements and other commercial products containing SARMs. The list also includes an extensive list of SARM names to help you identify them on product labels.
HPRC’s Ask the Expert feature is available if you have particular questions about these ingredients or any other questions about dietary supplements.