Beware DMAA Masked as “Geranium”

A new article by ThePostGame.com highlights a growing problem of 1,3-dimetheylpentylamine (DMAA) being labeled as a geranium ingredient in sports-nutrition and energy supplements.

DMAA is a stimulant that has been linked to heatstroke-induced adverse cardiovascular events. “Health experts say DMAA is stronger than ephedrine, a stimulant blamed in part for the heatstroke death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler in 2003,” the article states.

However due to confusion stemming from a Chinese study associating DMAA with geranium, some companies are listing DMAA as a derivation of geranium. “This is being sold as an otherwise safe and legit dietary supplement,” the article quotes Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, as saying. “It’s not….And there’s a whole population of consumers who have no clue.’

In a recently announced trade requirement to its members, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA; Silver Spring, MD) has ruled that companies may not label DMAA as “geranium oil” or as being any part of the geranium plant (e.g. “geranium oil,” “geranium stem,” “geranium extract”), either by common or botanical name. (However, the requirement does not prevent the “geranium” labeling of any compound that is in fact derived from geranium plant materials.)

Nutritional Outlook thanks Ullman, Shapiro & Ullman for the tip.