The safety of USPlabs’ popular pre-workout dietary supplement Jack3d has been called into question after the deaths of two U.S. Army soldiers who were found to have the stimulant in their systems. Serious side effects reported in Jack3d users include seizures, heart injury, kidney and liver failure and death.
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has been injured by Jack3d, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit and our lawyers can help.
Jack3D Manufacturer Charged in Federal Sweep
November 17, 2015 - A year-long investigation has culminated in criminal charges [1] against USPlabs for the sale of tainted and misleading products. The indictment accuses the supplement manufacturer of telling its retailers and wholesalers that it used natural plant extracts in Jack3D and OxyElite Pro, when in fact it was using a synthetic stimulant made in a Chinese chemical factory.
What’s the problem with Jack3d?
Manufactured and marketed by USPlabs, Jack3d is a powerful pre-workout nitric oxide (NO) stimulant. Dietary supplements in the NO class are designed to increase the body’s natural production of nitric oxide, which is supposed to:
- widen blood vessels
- increase nutrient delivery
- increase levels of anabolic hormones
- increase strength required for the muscle-building and recovery process
Jack3d contains an extremely powerful yet controversial stimulant known as 1,3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA). This substance is designed to give the user increased workout intensity, focus, and other effects associated with elevated adrenaline levels. Unfortunately, DMAA has come under intense scrutiny by federal health regulators due to its potential for serious side effects and life-threatening complications.
The regulatory status and safety of the DMAA contained in Jack3d has recently been challenged by Health Canada. There has been an ongoing debate about whether the substance, which was first synthesized by Eli Lilly in the 1940’s, is a constituent of geranium, with the consensus growing that it is not. Health Canada issued a statement claiming that DMAA is not naturally found in geranium, and that any products containing it should require drug authorization. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to rule on the safety and efficacy of DMAA, while various trade groups are conducting independent research on their own.
Jack3d Side Effects
Jack3d has been associated with the following serious side effects:
- Hyperthermia
- Irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Liver damage or liver failure
- Kidney damage or kidney failure
- Psychiatric side effects
- Elevated blood pressure
- Sudden cardiac death
Other, less severe side effects linked to Jack3d use include:
- Skin reactions
- Irritability
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Trembling
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Profuse perspiration
- Dehydration
- Itchy scalp and skin
Jack3d Class Action Lawsuit
In a lawsuit filed against USPlabs in the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, plaintiff Johnnie Pacheco argues that Jack3d contains DMAA in a “synthetic form that is both illegal and dangerous.” Pacheco also claims that USPlabs has been making false and misleading statements about the drug’s safety and efficacy. The plaintiff is seeking damages on behalf of all California residents who have purchased Jack3d and a similar product, OxyELITE Pro, at any time during the past four years.
Citing the FDA’s recent draft guidance on new dietary supplements (NDIs), Pacheco’s lawsuit claims that the administration does not consider synthetic botanical constituents to be dietary ingredients, even if they are chemically indistinguishable from their ‘natural’ counterparts. The complaint states:
“Defendant’s DMAA, because it is synthetic, cannot be a constituent of a botanical and cannot qualify as a dietary ingredient and be legally sold in a supplement... nor could it be an extract of a botanical.... because it was not actually extracted from a botanical.”
The plaintiff goes on to claim that even if DMAA is a geranium extract that was approved under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), USPlabs should still be required to file an NDI notification for Jack3d and OxyElite. Pacheco states that this is because the chemical makeup of the geranium allegedly contained in the supplements is not likely to be the same as any geranium extract approved under DSHEA. Finally, the lawsuit alleges that “no reliable clinical research” can support claims made by the manufacturer about the safety of Jack3d and OxyElite.
Related Articles:
GNC Agrees to $2Million Jack3d Settlement
On September 23, 2014, GNC and USPLab agreed to a $2 million settlement in a class action lawsuit against them for injuries allegedly sustained by OxyELITE Pro and Jack3d. Plaintiffs alleged the companies:
- Violated the Florida Drug and Cosmetic Act
- Violated the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act
- Breached its express warranty and implied warranty
- Made false statements regarding the safety of DMAA supplements, and that OxyELITE Pro and Jack3d do not work
USP Labs and GNC are offering rebates of up to $300 per customer under the terms of a settlement in the Jack3d Class Action Lawsuit. The complaint accused the companies of false and misleading claims relating to Oxy Elite Pro, Jack3d and VERSA-1. USP Labs and GNC have denied any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement in order to avoid more costly litigation.
Related: Safety Issues Related to DMAA
Do You Have a Jack3d 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 Jack3d lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Jack3d injury cases in all 50 states.
Free Confidential Case Evaluation: If you or a loved one has been injured by Jack3d, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit and our lawyers can help.
