DMAA sales banned in US military commissaries

The Department of Defense temporary halted the sales of products containing 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA) within military facilities after recent reports showed two soldier deaths and additional adverse health effects in other service members may be related to use of the dietary supplements.

DMAA has recently been in the news with a California class action lawsuit that claims bodybuilding and weight management supplements from Florida-based BPI Sports contained undisclosed DMAA, and a new requirement from American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), which says its members will no longer be able to label it as geranium oil or as any part of the geranium plant (Pelargonium spp.).

The Department of Defense's moratorium will remain in effect pending further review of relevant scientific evidence and reported events, officials 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 (AERs) to better understand any potential relationship between DMAA and these events. Recommendations from this review will guide further decisions, officials said.

"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 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.

 "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.

DMAA is a vasoconstrictor and central nervous system stimulant. Opponents argue it is an amphetamine-like ingredient that poses a serious health risk and has potentially life-threatening side effects.