Methylhexaneamine – Q & A

Q:  Can my dietary supplement which includes Methylhexaneamine (1, 3 Dimethylamylamine also listed as geranium oil or plant) cause a positive drug test?  More specific, will it cause a positive for Meth?

A:  We consulted with Clinical Reference Laboratory here in the KC Metro area and we discovered that Methylhexaneamine could cause a false-positive screen by immunoassay but would confirm as a negative sample after gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).  So simply put, chemically it is not methamphetamine nor will it ever create amphetamine or methamphetamine in the body.  The chemical structure is too simple to begin with and the body cannot make it into something more complex.

Methylhexaneamine is currently banned by most sport governing bodies including the NCAA and WADA under the stimulants drug class.   So Methylhexaneamine which is commonly found in weight loss preparations and pre-workout dietary supplements will cause a positive drug test for a stimulant.

Below is a recent report published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Vol. 35, April 2011.  The report explains more indepth how a positive drug test can be registered.



Four Tips for Nutrition During Injury Recovery

Most athletes have heard of RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation), when it comes to injury recovery. But there is another aspect of injury recovery that many often forget - nutrition and diet. Are you eating to help your body recover? Read these four nutrition tips for injury recovery:

1. Remember that your activity level has decreased. You may put on weight if you eat the same portions you normally do as you are not burning as many calories. To keep your weight stable, pay attention to your caloric intake and stop eating when you aren’t hungry, even if you usually eat more.

2. Eat wholesome foods post injury to get the vitamins and minerals you need. Choose foods such as broccoli and spinach or citrus fruits, yogurt, lean meats and milk.

3. Be sure you are eating protein. If you have a diet lacking in protein, you are missing important nutrients, like iron and zinc, that can help healing. Eat a protein rich food at each meal.

4. The American Dietetic Association suggests getting plenty of the following nutrients to help the healing process: Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Zinc.

For more information on a healthy diet during injury recovery (or anytime), speak with a registered dietitian. You can find a sports dietitian in your area at http://www.scandpg.org/.

Resources:
http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Injury__diet_and_recovery__Guidelines_for_nutrition_and_healing.htm
http://www.traxee.com/posts/1189-nutrition-for-injury-recovery
Handout from the American Dietetic Association http://www.lehighsports.com/assets/sportsmed/NutritionDuringRehab.pdf

Steroid use and injury

When I first started working at Drug Free Sport, I read Dan Clark’s book, “Gladiator: A True Story of ‘Roids, Rage, and Redemption”. I have to admit I learned a lot about the effects of steroid use from his story. We often warn student-athletes of the dangers of steroid use, breast development in men, acne, aggressiveness, etc., but reading about them in first person was an eye-opening experience. It was also from this book that I was first introduced to the link between steroid use and injury, something I think many people often overlook. As an athlete, this link is essential, because one injury could derail your career.
So what is the link between steroids and injury and why should you be concerned? Often the increase in muscle mass and increased speed, seen from steroid use, is not always followed by equal increases in tendon, ligament, and joint strength. These imbalances, along with rapid weight gain, increase the risk of injuries. Explosive movements already put an athlete at risk for injury, but can be made worse when the supporting elements around muscles aren’t trained or ready for these movements at such high speeds with so much muscle mass.

A study published in 2009, by The American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, found that self reported anabolic-androgenic steroid use was significantly associated with self-reported, medically diagnosed joint and cartilaginous injuries in comparison to non-users. These injuries included; disc herniations, knee ligament/meniscus injury, elbow injuries, stingers, spine injury, and foot/toe/ankle injury. It has also been suggested that the increase of tendon and ligament injuries in baseball is due to steroid use. Read more.

While more research is needed, the link between steroid use and injury is another risk added to a long list adverse effects.

Resources:

Self-Reported Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids Use and Musculoskeletal Injuries: Findings from the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes Health Survey of Retired NFL Players. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: March 2009 - Volume 88 - Issue 3 - pp 192-200


http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/02/23/steroid-use-damages-health-later-in-life/4273.html

http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2210/138/

http://onlineathens.com/stories/032911/spo_806925222.shtml

Dietary Supplements – The quackery of healing

A common claim of dietary supplements is their ability to heal. Whether it be healing an injury or helping cure a disease, there is always some substance, and in turn hundreds of dietary supplements, claiming to be beneficial. This can be dangerous, especially if individuals forgo regular medical treatment for a dietary supplement, believing that the supplement will cure them and they don’t need medical treatment. An athlete who believes the supplement they are taking is helping them heal faster, may begin training or competition before an injury has fully healed, causing more serious injury to ligaments, muscles, and joints. FDA labeling laws for dietary supplements prohibit companies from making claims that their products can cure, treat, diagnose, mitigate or prevent any disease.

We often refer to the claims made by these products as quackery. People believe these claims every day. Not only are there health consequences quackery can have economic consequences as well, causing individuals to spend money on a product that is not proven to work. Quackery can also cause a spread of misinformation and a push to weaken consumer protection laws.

Here are a some examples:

Debbie Benson died of breast cancer after refusing additional treatment after she had a lump removed. She went to a naturopath who gave her herbal treatments. Debbie ignored a swollen lymph node as she was told it was just an effect of the herbal products. When she finally went to the doctor, she found out it was cancer. She continued treatments with alternative healers but her condition deteriorated until she died .

In this story, Susan Fox and her husband were thousands of dollars in debt after pursuing a “work from home” project with Herbalife which required they purchase thousands of dollars in product, training materials, and phone plans. http://www.mlmwatch.org/13Victims/fox.html

Neuro Replete by CHK Nutrition. CHK has been at the center of attention for some time now because they have made health claims about their products. You can find additional information here: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm271703.htm

Cracking Down on Health Fraud - http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137261.htm

FDA issues warning letters to marketers of unapproved "alternative hormone therapies" (items promoted for treatment or prevention of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis) http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2005/ucm108515.htm


H1N1 scams - http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm187728.htm

Recent conventions for illegally selling drugs - http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/ucm248636.htm

While there are may be alternative therapies for a condition, make sure there is sound, scientific evidence behind a product, substance, or therapy before you rely on them.

To learn more about quackery visit http://www.quackwatch.com/.

To learn about evaluating health information on the web visit http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/BuyingMedicinesOvertheInternet/ucm202863.htm