SCHUMER: RECENTLY UNEARTHED FDA REPORT CONFIRMS WEIGHT LOSS AND WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS CONTAIN HIDDEN, DANGEROUSLY ADDICTIVE AMPHETAMINE & FDA KNEW ABOUT IT; SENATOR DEMANDS FDA IMMEDIATELY BAN HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL & HOLD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE THAT MASKED HARMFUL CHEMICAL AS "NATURAL BOTANICALS"

Many Popular Supplements Contain Addictive Amphetamine-Like Stimulant Left Off The Labels Or Passed Off As ‘Botanical’ - Hazardous Chemical Poses Serious Risk To Those Using Supplements & Trying To Lose Weight, Exercise or Treat Illness

In Personal Push To FDA, Senator Says Proof Of Tainted Supplements With Chemicals- That Agency Already Knows Can Cause Stroke, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure & Sleep Problems- Should Be Recalled 

Schumer: The FDA Has All The Proof It Needs To Take These Pills Off Shelves But Consumers Know None Of The Risks 

 U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action and immediately ban widely used dietary supplements that contain the powerful stimulant BMPEA, which closely resembles amphetamine stimulants and has been proven to cause serious health problems. The products are marketed as natural products that aid in weight loss or enhance the results of exercise while promoting overall health. However, like amphetamines, BMPEA may be addictive. According to medical professionals, the chemical is proven to increase blood pressure, suppress sleep and lead to other complications, like stroke. Even more shocking, the hazardous chemical is not listed on any product labels, and therefore, consumers may not even be aware that their chosen supplement contains this addictive stimulant. In some cases, when it is listed, the chemical is made to sound like its natural—being called a ‘botanical.’ Many supplements promote health but it’s critical for consumers to be protected from those with harmful ingredients.

A New York Times article recently revealed that the FDA is aware that widely sold supplements contain BMPEA often mislabeled as Acacia rigidula, a plant whose extract is used in natural botanical compound. However, the FDA has not taken any action in recalling these products. Canada has already pulled such products from store shelves and warned consumers in light of serious medical concerns. Schumer today urged the FDA to hold all companies accountable for withholding facts behind the hazardous chemical and for marketing them as natural botanical products. Moreover, Schumer today demanded answers from the FDA as to why this essential information had been swept under the rug for approximately two years.  

“The FDA has all the proof it needs to exercise their authority and take these dietary and workout pills off store shelves, but consumers still know none of the risks,” said Senator Schumer. “The FDA’s report showing that widely used dietary supplements contain a hidden, hazardous chemical is jaw dropping. The FDA should ban these tainted supplements immediately and make sure the companies involved are held accountable.”

In 2013, the FDA found that many supplements found to have BMPEA also listed the natural botanical extract, Acacia rigidula. In 2014, FDA scientists tested 21 supplements containing Acacia rigidula. Of the supplements tested, 9 were found to contain BMPEA. This report was published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Despite this, the names of the specific products were never made available by the FDA. BMPEA is a synthetic drug that has been used as a replacement for amphetmatine and its side effects on humans have never been tested.  However, animal studies have found that BMPEA can increase blood pressure, heart rate and cause stroke.  

According to a recent New York Times article, a Harvard scientist recently conducted a new test on dietary supplements and found BMPEA in 11 of the 21 tested products on shelves today. The study was published in the journal ‘Drug Testing and Analysis.’ The scientists found that JetFuel Superburn, JetFuel T-3000, MX-LS7, Aro Black Series Burn, Black Widow, Dexaprine XR, Fastin-XR, Lipodrene Hardcore, Lipodrene Xtreme, Stimerex-ES and Yellow Scorpion all contained the dangerous chemical, BMPEA.

The FDA regulates dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. According to the FDA, these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations. The FDA says they are responsible for taking action against any adulterated or misbranded dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. However, Schumer noted that the FDA has not yet taken action against any of the known dietary supplements that discretely contain BMPEA. In addition, under the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA can detain a food or dietary supplement product if the agency has reason to believe the product is adulterated or misbranded.

Schumer today first urged the FDA to take action and ban any dietary supplement found to contain BMPEA. Second, Schumer urged the FDA to hold all companies involved in hiding BMPEA from consumers accountable. Third, Schumer is demanding answers from the FDA as to why their report was swept under the rug. Schumer said that the findings in this report are shocking and that consumers should have been warned about this harmful chemical and the products in which it is found.

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