Many dietary supplements contain risky non-authorized active pharmaceutical ingredients

Dietary supplement with dangerous side effects?

Many people use so-called nutritional supplements. One study shows that nearly 800 dietary supplements sold in recent years contain non-approved active ingredients.

In their recent analysis, the researchers from the California Department of Public Health found that nearly 800 nutritional supplements in recent years contained unauthorized drug ingredients. In 20 percent of these products, even more than one unauthorized pharmaceutical ingredient was found. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Jama Network Open".

Investigated food supplements often contained non-authorized active pharmaceutical ingredients. (Image: pat_hastings - fotolia)

Affected dietary supplements can damage your health

The presence of prescription drugs, often in unknown concentrations, means that these supplements are essentially unauthorized medications that may harm users' health, the authors of the study explain. These products can cause serious health consequences caused by accidental abuse, overuse, interference with other medicines, pre-existing health conditions, or other medicines in the same supplement, the experts add.

Pharmaceutical ingredients were not noted on the labels

The largest number of products containing hidden ingredients was reported in 2009, when two major product recalls together comprised 99 products. Otherwise, from 2012 until 2016, 443 of the total of 776 products were reported. In the vast majority of cases (97 percent), the unauthorized pharmaceutical ingredients were not declared on the supplements labels, the experts explain.

Sexual performance enhancers often contained medications

Most adulterated products, about 45 percent, were marketed for sexual performance enhancement, weight loss (about 41 percent), or muscle building (12 percent). The drugs that are included in sexual enhancement products include sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil. These drugs are included in prescription drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which, if used too much, can cause serious damage to the blood vessels.

Weight loss products contained sibutramine

Weight loss products often included sibutramine, which was withdrawn from the US market in 2010 due to cardiovascular risks. In addition, phenolphthalein was also frequently included.

Muscle building products often contained anabolic steroids

Many of the adulterated muscle building products contained undeclared anabolic steroids, which can lead to short-term psychological problems, kidney problems, liver damage and heart problems.

Antidepressants and antihistamines have also been identified

Other medications found in adulterated supplements include antidepressants and antihistamines, which also threaten side effects and interactions with other medications.

Most of the adulterated supplements are still available

As the nutritional supplement industry continues to grow, it is important to further investigate this issue in terms of public health, the authors explain. Only 360 out of 746 adulterated products (48 percent) were recalled, with the majority of contaminated supplements still being offered for sale, adds the scientists from the United States. Further action was needed to ensure that all adulterated supplements were effectively and quickly removed from the market. (As)