Athlete Advisory - Methylhexaneamine And Dietary Supplements

June 16, 2011

Beware - Your Supplement Could Cause a Positive Test

This advisory comes after multiple announcements that athletes around the world have tested positive for methylhexaneamine, a prohibited stimulant. Methylhexaneamine is known by many names including 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), dimethylpentylamine (DMP) 4-methylhexan-2-amine, Geranamine, and geranium oil, extract, or stems and leaves. Many products sold as dietary supplements openly list this substance on their labels, such as Jack3d (USP Labs), Lipo-6-Black and Hemo-Rage Black (Nutrex), Spriodex (Gaspari Nutrition), F-10 (Advanced Genetics), Clear Shot (E-Pharm), 1.M.R. (BPI Sports) and many others.

While it is not known whether the above products actually contain methylhexaneamine, athletes should steer clear of products that advertise to contain these substances.

Also, if "geranium" is listed as an ingredient on the label of a supplement, be advised that the product may contain synthetic methylhexaneamine. We have also seen instances where a supplement actually contained ingredients that were not listed on the label. In some cases, these non-labeled substances may trigger a positive test.

Athletes are also advised to exercise good judgment and avoid products with suspicious and exaggerated claims or names, which include marketing performance terms such as "stacked," "muscle," "mass," "tren," "bol," "anabolic" or "legal steroid," "power," "blast," "energy," "stimulant" and similar terms. The product may in fact be a designer steroid or contain a prohibited substance, such as the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine.

The ongoing problem of dietary supplement mislabeling continues to create a risky environment for athletes. Unfortunately, due to the current permissive regulations governing the supplement industry, USADA cannot give guarantees to athletes regarding which products are safe and free from contamination.

Athletes need to be aware that they assume the risks of adverse health outcomes and positive anti-doping tests when choosing to take supplements. Athletes are urged to take necessary steps to be informed consumers and evaluate any supplements, including: understanding all ingredients, consulting with a physician to assess whether taking a supplement is necessary, and having products tested to ensure safety. Please remember that strict liability applies at all times, and an athlete is responsible for any prohibited substance found in their system.

USADA continues to work with our partners at Supplement Safety Now, which is a public initiative, to protect Americans whose health is threatened by the consumption of dangerous over-the-counter products disguised as "healthy" supplements. Go to www.supplementsafetynow.com and join the effort.