Sports supplements pulled after being found to contain amphetamine-like stimulants

An investigation into sports supplements by Consumer NZ has resulted in products being pulled from shelves. Photo / Getty

An investigation into sports supplements has resulted in products being pulled from shelves after they were found to contain amphetamine-like stimulants as well as prescription drugs used to treat ADHD and Parkinson's disease.

Consumer NZ undertook a mystery shop of six sports supplement stores and found six products that contained seven illegal drugs, ranging from amphetamine-like stimulants to prescription medicines.

"In New Zealand, sports supplements don't need to be tested or proved safe before being sold. The responsibility is placed on the seller to ensure the product is made to an acceptable quality and is safe to use. We think there needs to be tighter regulation to ensure potentially dangerous ingredients aren't winding up on New Zealand shelves," said Gemma Rasmussen, Consumer NZ's Head of Communications and Campaigns.

Products that contained prescription drugs included Lit the F%#k up by Liberty Labz, a 'fat burner' that claims to 'increase energy, metabolism and suppress appetite'. This was found to include Octodrine, a prescription drug which is an amphetamine-like stimulant with effects including euphoria, alertness, and an increased pain threshold. The product was removed from sale from Supplements Solutions after contact from Consumer NZ.

Perfect Sports Burn FX capsules claimed to 'boost energy, drive up metabolism, reduce appetite, shut down carb absorption, and amplify the mood.' The capsules contain Deanol, an amino acid produced by the brain. Any product with more than 10 milligrams per litre or kilogram of Deanol is classed as a prescription medicine. Each Perfect Sports capsule contained more than 150mg of Deanol. Directors of supplements.co.nz did not respond to queries from Consumer NZ but did remove the product from sale.

Other supplements included high concentrations of levodopa, which is used to treat Parkinsons, Gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is a class B drug, and Hordenine, a class C drug.

"Placing the onus on a seller to ensure sports supplements are to an acceptable standard is clearly not a system that is working, as our investigation has highlighted. If you're purchasing a supplement and are concerned about potentially harmful ingredients, liaise with your GP and report any harmful ingredients or concerns you have to NZ Food Safety," said Rasmussen.

The dietary supplement market is a lucrative space - in the United States it is projected to generate US$57 billion (NZ$84 billion) by 2024.

Consumer NZ recommends exercising caution and looking out for the following ingredients to avoid when purchasing sports supplements:

Beta-phenethylamine (PEA)
Octodrine
Deanol (Dimethylethanolamine)
Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae)
Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)
Hordenine
N-Methyltyramine Hydrochloride (4-hydroxy-N-methylphenethylamine), (NMTN)