In more news related to the $35 billion dietary supplement industry, Oregon’s Attorney General recently filed suit against General Nutrition Corp (GNC) – a national retailer of nutritional products – alleging that the chain knowingly sold supplements laced with unmarked, illegal ingredients. Selling Spiked Supplements
The lawsuit, filed last week by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, alleges GNC violated the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act by selling thousands of units of workout and fat-burner supplement products that contained Picamilon, a prescription drug used in Russia to treat neurological conditions and BMPEA, a powerful stimulant – both falsely labeled as dietary supplements. Tainted Supplement Products
Both Picamilon and BMPEA (also known as “hidden speed”) are neither natural nor safe.Picamilon is a synthetic chemical not approved in the United States. Products containing BMPEA, an amphetamine-like substance, are sometimes sold as weight loss or performance enhancing nutritional supplements.
“It is scary to know that certain products sold by GNC contain an ingredient that is not even labeled—let alone approved in the United States,” said Attorney General Rosenblum in a press release. “When Oregonians buy a dietary supplement, they deserve to know that the ingredients in the products are safe and comply with the law. There are 25 GNC stores in Oregon that sold thousands of these products over the span of a couple of years.” Read More.
The Oregon lawsuit — which comes from the state vs. federal officials — raises more important questions about the ability of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate the $35 billion dietary supplement industry – especially after hidden and dangerous ingredients have been detected in many weight loss, bodybuilding and sexual enhancement supplements.
A recent government study revealed that injuries caused by dietary supplements lead to more than 20,000 emergency room visits a year. Read More.
