Dietary supplements removed from Exchanges due to health concerns

News > Dietary supplements removed from Exchanges due to health concerns

Dietary supplements removed from Exchanges due to health concerns

Posted 12/28/2011 Updated 12/28/2011

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12/28/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Department of Defense has implemented a temporary moratorium on the sales of products containing DMAA within military facilities.

The moratorium will remain in effect pending further review of relevant scientific evidence and reported events, officials said.

Recent reports show that two Soldier deaths and additional adverse health effects in other service members may be related to the use of dietary supplements containing DMAA, which is also known as dimethylamylamine.

"We support the decision of the Military Exchanges and Commissaries to remove products containing DMAA from their shelves until we can make a further determination about the safety of this ingredient," said Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, the deputy director of Force Health Protection and Readiness Programs with the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness.

DMAA is sold as a single supplement and in combination with multiple other ingredients. In particular, it is often combined with caffeine, a legal, natural stimulant. Stimulants may accelerate metabolism, heart rate and blood pressure, which may increase the body's production of heat, especially in hot and humid conditions.

"We are concerned about reports of heat illness, kidney (and) liver damage, and sudden death in service members who reportedly used products containing DMAA," Kilpatrick said.

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson asked the surgeons general of the military services to conduct a review of available scientific evidence and adverse event reports to better understand any potential relationship between DMAA and these events. Recommendations from this review will guide further decisions, officials said.

"We take the health of our service members and families very seriously, and believe this action is necessary as a precautionary measure until we can learn more," said Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, the Army surgeon general.

(Courtesy of the U.S. Army Medical Command Public Affairs.)

Comments

7/17/2012 2:04:14 PM ET
I think this is as with everything in the Air Force it seems only done to keep face. If something is negative or something is going wrong or there's a problem with something, there seems to be a need to do something ANYTHING about it regardless of wether or not it makes sense. Here some complaints about kidney damage and heat illness and sudden death and then they rush to find something to blame. Then boom they choose dietary supplements because maybe half of the cases were using them. Which is ridiculous because the majority of the military probably uses dietary supplements. But oh well nothing changes. I think the heat illness is because temperatures globally have been at an all-time high not because Jimmy wanted to take something to help with his workout. Then again that's my opinion I know nothing.

Dion, SAFB

5/21/2012 5:47:26 PM ET
Hmmmm even though FDA approved drugs kill over 100000-that's one hundred THOUSAND- people every year-even when taken as directed it's amazing the military is still shoveling out bags of toxic addictive drugs rather than the docs requiring them to take classes at the HAWCs first

Michael E., Georgia

1/6/2012 4:01:32 AM ET
Gotta love all the misguided libertarian-esque defense of cigarette smoking in these posts. I have never read so much flawed logic in my life...

SW, Deployed

1/5/2012 3:36:37 PM ET
Wow...every single comment on this article comes from an extremely snarky left-field. Whining about the fact that the BX has banned a certain substance and comparing it to other substances that are not banned like cigarettes and alcohol misses the point. The difference between cigarettes and alcohol and DMAA is that DMAA is causing immediate deaths and heat related issues in areas of the world where those things together cause mission failure. While alcohol related incidents can kill as well they usually come from a failure on the part of the individual to exercise control. With DMAA you have a member using the drug as recommended and they suddenly die. Makes sense to ban it. If you wanna buy go off-base. And quit whining. This is the military. The DoD is doing the best they can to take care of us. If you do not like it then get out. Do something different with your life. This is not some organization that you get to vote on everything that happens. Sometimes you have to j

Shawn S, Randolph AFB

1/4/2012 5:00:06 PM ET
How does one use Tobacco responsibly That makes no sense whatsoever. I agree that are many changes that should be warranted but people will still go off base to get those items. Main thing is AAFES doesn't want any lawsuits brought against them for a product like a supplement that may cause other health problems. Banning smoking period would the best thing for all of us who don't want put up with the terrible smell truly disgusting.

Dane, Colorado

1/4/2012 3:26:15 PM ET
Let's ban WORK. Yesterday I had a wierd feeling that instead of being at my desk I should be at home chillin and that kind of throws my health off ballance. Any takers

Chris, JBSA

1/4/2012 1:24:54 PM ET
DoD needs to implement a moratorium on deployments to Afghanistan because bullets and improvised explosive devices have caused far more injuries and sudden deaths than any dietary supplements.

Dusty, Florida

1/4/2012 2:46:25 AM ET
Candy bars and sugary soft drinks are also bad for your health. We should go ahead and ban the sale of those items. On another note, Coach handbags and Sony television sets are also bad for your financial health and so we should probably just ban those from being sold as well.

MB, Germany

1/4/2012 2:07:12 AM ET
While we're at it, let's get rid of the other unhealthy dietary supplements AAFES sells in the average BX food court... pizza, fried chicken, oriental food, hamburgers, hot dogs, coffee and ice cream. Stop selling TVs, too, because they create couch potatoes. Headphones can lead to hearing loss. Curling irons might burn me. I could get cut by a paperback book.

Jurgen, US

1/4/2012 2:05:56 AM ET
The difference between tobacco/alcohol is that those are risk factors that may cause death and reduce overall health and there are no healthy alternatives. With supplements, there are alternatives that do not cause an immediate death or severe illness. Also, people are educated over the effects of tobacco/alcohol and, if used responsibly, do not pose the same threats. By your way of thinking AAFES/DECA should ban all things unhealthy so remove the candy, doughnuts, sodas, etc. Remember, freedom is the right to have a choice.

Anom, RAFM

1/3/2012 11:45:42 AM ET
Wow can the Air Force leadership PLEASE read the comments on this article All these comments actually make sense and they need to be taken in consideration. We already know how things work leadership always says good things that seem to make sense but it's only a facade for all the stupidity and profit. But to actually put this into an article comeone. Did you read the label on the enegry drinks I believe they contain more bad stuff then the supplements. Just make your profit in silence but please don't consider us idiots by putting all this upfront just like that. I take this offensive because I believe myself and many other are smart folks who can make our own decision if it is right for us to consume certain ingredients or not and this is literally telling me that this is bad for me but cigarettes and alcohool are not because they haven't been removed from the BX inventory. Good work leadership more reasons for me to blindly trust you.

Chris, JBSA

12/31/2011 11:30:30 PM ET
This is silly. Cigarattes and alcohol cause more death and disease than dietary supplements ever have or ever will, but the BX and Class 6 respectively sell both on base. Stop the double-standard please.

Chris Kimball, Indiana

12/31/2011 10:11:40 PM ET
Good point... don't think will remove cigarettes because they make to much money from it. It's not about health, it's about the money that's all

Dane, Colorado

12/31/2011 8:24:49 AM ET
@ James, I completely agree.... But tobacco products bring to much profit to them. Can't take away their profits..

G, RAFL

12/30/2011 2:47:22 PM ET
Isn't being done to protect our health. Better supplements are available for cheaper prices online and off base. If health was the concern, then cigarettes would have been gone long ago.

Titan 63, CONUS

12/29/2011 4:56:05 PM ET
Interesting. I've heard that smoking cigarettes can result in adverse health affects and also cause death, but the commissary and BX both continue to sell them.

James, Scott AFB

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