1. terrasig
  2. Anabolic steroids in fitness supplements: no news to us

Anabolic steroids in fitness supplements: no news to us

By terrasig on December 5, 2007.

Yet another example in today's press about dietary supplements contaminated, intentionally or accidentally, with prescription or unapproved drugs - in this case, anabolic steroids showing up in about 20% of supplements tested.

I was asked by a major news organization if this is the first time that anabolic steroids have been found in supplements. Nope, look at this FDA action from March 2004 or March 2006.

Ugggh, this is a very old story that I've discussed here many times, mostly relative to erectile dysfunction supplements:

Potentially life-threatening adulteration of erectile dysfunction/sexual performance-enhancing supplements

Is that a bottle of herbs in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Zencore Tabs: Keeping More Than Sales Up

However, prescription pharmaceuticals show up quite often in herbal and dietary supplements.

The question is whether the FDA's "good manufacturing practices" requirements will ever change the frequency of these adulteration cases.

If I'm getting "posting fatigue" about these cases, you readers must also no longer be surprised about herb/supplement adulteration.

Tags
alternative medicine
Botanical/Herbal Medicines
Drug safety
Non-herbal supplements
public health

More like this

Zencore Tabs: Keeping More Than Sales Up
Yes, you have heard this before: another company selling erectile dysfunction dietary supplements has been nailed by the US FDA for adulteration of their product with prescription drugs used for erectile dysfunction. From the FDA (full press release here): Bodee LLC, Inc., issued a nationwide…
Dietary supplement adulteration with prescription drugs: Is it really a problem of DSHEA?
Rebecca Skloot, journalist, University of Memphis writing professor, and author of the upcoming book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (pre-order here), just brought to my attention this commentary by Dr Pieter Cohen in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled, "American Roulette --…
MuscleMaster.com "voluntarily" recalls 17 steroid-laden dietary supplements
It seems that bodybuilding supplement makers are challenging erectile dysfunction supplement makers to see who can recall the greatest number of products adulterated with undeclared, unapproved drugs. In this case, an internet retailer of the following supplements has issued a voluntary recall of…
FDA Public Health Advisory: Serious liver injury, pulmonary embolism with steroid-containing body-building supplements
We've spoken here every few months about so-called natural dietary supplements being adulterated with prescription drugs used for similar indications. The most common of these of late have been erectile dysfunction supplements which have been repeatedly found to contain the active compounds…

Very timely, I've just come back from a conference with a special symposium on natural and herbal medicine, and just this point was raised. Fortunately in Australia, herbals are regulated as medicines, making it harder for adulterated supplements to get through (not impossible though, just harder)