The FDA has issued a warning to all consumers to not purchase or use any body building supplements or dietary supplements that may contain steroids due to their association with kidney and liver issues.
While the warning was general in nature, the FDA noted that consumers should be aware of any products that are labeled or advertised as “anabolic” and “tren,” or phrases like “blocks estrogen,” and “minimizes gyno”. According to the FDA, these are code words indicating the possibility that the products contain steroids or other harmful substances.
In the warning letter, the FDA pointed out 8 specific products from American Cellular Labs. The NY Times quoted an official as saying, “We think that there may be a number of firms that are marketing similar products, if not products that are exactly the same,” Michael Levy, director of the Division of New Drugs and Labeling at the agency’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
Supplements are a multi-million dollar industry that is not regulated by the FDA in the same fashion as prescription drugs. The FDA has authority to intervene only after there are reports of problems with supplements and can prove the particular product is a health hazard.