In Wake of DMAA Crackdown, Dietary Supplement Manufacturers Look For ‘Next Big Stimulant’

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As DMAA’s future regulatory status appears bleak, dietary supplement manufacturers are scrambling to come up with effective alternatives. But the question remains, will DMAA’s replacement be safe to use as directed, or something just as controversial? Over the past two years, a number of serious side effects have been increasingly associated with DMAA including seizures, heart injury, kidney and liver failure, and death.

DMAA Update 7/16/12: Researchers from the University of Texas, Arlington, recently tested and compared a number of DMAA-containing dietary supplements against commercially available geranium extracts, and detected no presence of the controversial substance in the geranium samples. The source of DMAA is a hot button issue as of late, because it could ultimately determine the outcome of a string of class action lawsuits filed against DMAA manufacturers and distributors. Click here to learn more.

DMAA Update 6/20/12: This week, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) warned Australians not to consume dietary supplements containing the controversial ingredient dimethylamylamine (DMAA). The Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing and the Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling are considering a ban on the substance, and are set to meet at the end of the month when the problem will be ‘urgently discussed.’ Click here to learn more.

Dietary Supplement Lawsuit Update 6/7/12: In a recent landmark lawsuit, a leading online dietary supplement retailer pled guilty to selling products laced with steroids and agreed to pay a hefty $7 million fine. Many legal experts believe the case will set a new precedent for cracking down on vendors of adultered products. Click here for more information.

DMAA Update 5/14/12: Despite a recent FDA crackdown on DMAA-containing bodybuilding products, the Army will continue its research into the effects of the controversial dietary supplement ingredient. According to a Department of Defense (DOD) spokesperson, the military has an ‘intense interest’ in the results of the Army Public Health Command’s ongoing research on DMAA. Click here to learn more.

DMAA Update 5/8/12: Ten days after the FDA sent letters to a number of dietary supplement manufacturers requesting safety information on their DMAA-containing products, Harvard researcher Dr. Pieter Cohen is calling for an outright nationwide ban on the controversial ingredient. “The main message about DMAA is that it should be avoided,” says Cohen, who is an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “This ingredient should never have been in supplements in first place.” Click here to learn more.

Free DMAA Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury you feel may have been caused by a dietary supplement containing DMAA, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer of the supplement and we can help.

What’s the problem?

May 7, 2012 – In an interview with nutraingredients-usa.com, Brian Andrews, president of sports nutrition firm All American EFX, says he hopes the massive media attention over DMAA will encourage consumers to look toward cleaner dietary supplement products.

However, Andrews cautions that this might not necessarily be the case. “While the public is definitely becoming more and more educated in this area, many still just want the result no matter what. Moreover, they figure that because it is ‘legal’, and they bought it over the counter, the product has to be safe. However, I believe that in time this scenario will switch.”

If DMAA is eventually banned by the FDA, Andrews believes it will be a good thing for the dietary supplement industry. “It levels the playing field and puts the focus on creating a more effective product based on having the proper amounts of efficacious ingredients rather than simply relying on the stimulant part of the formula. DMAA allows companies to get around this fact.”

But even if it is banned nationwide, many are concerned that the stimulant that replaces DMAA will be just as dangerous. As for alternative ingredients, Andrews says “the industry is always on the lookout for the next ‘big’ stimulant. I can tell you that I know of one company which has product out right now that is growing by leaps and bounds. What people don’t know (yet) is that they are using a designer stimulant/amphetamine in it.”

Asked if he was surprised by the FDA’s recent crackdown on DMAA, Andrews says he always knew it was just a matter of time. “We first saw it about two years ago. The key thing for us was that it was already on the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) banned list. That was the first red flag for us. A little further research also revealed that it is actually (all things being equal) the chemical step-cousin to Ephedra. Once we knew that part, it was pretty easy to figure out that it would be banned sooner than later.”

Do I have a DMAA Lawsuit?

The Product Liability & Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in DMAA lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.

Free DMAA Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury you feel may have been caused by a DMAA-containing dietary supplement, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a DMAA injury suit and we can help.