Two years ago, federal health regulators discovered that an amphetamine-like substance has been found in supplements containing Acacia rigidula but no action has been done since then. A new study found out that many products still contain the substance, and they are still being sold in the market.
Researchers are warning the public on dietary supplements that claim to contain an active ingredient from the rigidula tree. According to the study published in the journal, Drug Testing and Analysis published on Tuesday, a stimulant called beta-methylphenylethylamine or BMPEA has been found in more than half of the 21 brands of the said supplement.
Apparently, these products were purchased a year after the United States Food and Drug Administration discovered the stimulant and warned the public on the possible health effects of the stimulant it contains, Fox News reports.
"Whenever you get a weight loss product, the simplest you'll be able to hope for is that it doesn't work. However why I'd powerfully caution against it's that the danger of obtaining a drug, and perhaps even a drug that's ne'er been tested in humans, is real," Pieter Cohen, MD, Associate in Nursing professor of drugs at Harvard University told Geek Infinite.
These products promise weight loss and at the same time, enhance brain function and boost energy. BMPEA has been categorized as a close relative of amphetamine. It has been found to increase blood pressure and heart rate in laboratory animals like cats and dogs but was never tested in humans yet.
Despite the study led by Cohen, the FDA released a statement saying, "While our review of the available information on products containing BMPEA does not identify a specific safety concern at this time, the FDA will consider taking regulatory action, as appropriate, to protect consumers."
Cohen was shocked upon reading the statement and in his study he stated in a report by CBS News, "Since the FDA discovered BMPEA in supplements, the percentage of brands of Acacia rigidula supplements that contain BMPEA has appeared to increase from 42.9 percent in 2012 to 52.4 percent in 2014."