Federal regulators issued stern warnings Friday to supplement makers for putting a potentially dangerous stimulant in weight loss products.
The Food and Drug Administration issued five warning letters this week to various supplement makers for including a potentially dangerous stimulant in their products. The agency has been going after supplement makers for including unapproved ingredients in their products, while several states are pushing Congress to look into the matter.
All of the manufacturers contained an ingredient called beta-methylphenethylamine, or BMPEA, which is a stimulant that is banned by world doping agencies. BMPEA has been around since the 1930s but has never been found to be safe for humans.
The agency found the stimulant in eight supplements marketed by the five companies: Train Naked Labs, iForce Nutrition (also known as Tribravus Enterprises), Human Evolution Supplements, Better Body Sports and Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals.
The spate of warning letters appears to be in response to research that discovered the amphetamine-like stimulant was in 11 weight-loss supplements labeled as containing acacia rigidula.
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals said in a press release that the research could be contradicted by multiple other studies.
“If FDA is allowed to run amok and continue to ‘bully’ ingredients that they do not like off the market, then the dietary supplement industry will cease to be able to give consumers ingredients they desire,” the company said.
None of the other companies immediately responded to requests for comment.
If the supplement makers don’t remove the ingredient, then the agency could seize their products.
Supplements don’t face the same regulatory scrutiny as regular drugs. While the FDA must approve every drug before it hits the market, supplements are not.
However, supplement makers must meet federal labeling and manufacturing quality standards.
The industry has taken a lot of heat over the past few months as a group of 14 attorneys general called for Congress to investigate the supplement industry.
