the dangerousness of certain enriched food supplements highlighted by Anses

The National Agency for Health Safety warns of adverse and potentially fatal effects.

Two deaths, four people with life-threatening conditions and more than 150 adverse effects have been reported to ANSES in the space of eight years following the use of enriched food supplements for athletes.

The majority of these side effects reported by doctors, pharmacists, poison control centers or even consumers themselves are cardiovascular problems (palpitations, heart rhythm disorders, or even arrest) but there are also dizziness, malaise, digestive or renal disorders, liver problems, fatigue or anxiety disorders. And, according to Professor Irene Margaritis, deputy to the Director of Risk Assessment at ANSES, these 150 official reports are probably only the tip of the iceberg.

In general, to achieve the desired effect, i.e. increasing muscle mass and losing fat, these products contain proteins, amino acids, plant extracts, vitamins, sometimes caffeine… In itself, it is not dangerous, but it is already not harmless for the body in case of misuse, mixing, or overdose.

And an additional difficulty, and this is why we must be very careful, there are fraudulent products on this lucrative market containing prohibited substances, potentially dangerous to health, and which can also lead to positive results in anti-doping controls. These ingredients are, for example, anabolic steroids, ephedrine, or unauthorized medicinal ingredients. The difficulty is that their presence as ingredients is not listed on the packaging.

In general, it is better to choose products that comply with the European anti-doping standard 17444 or the AFNOR standard and avoid buying them on the internet. Then, be careful not to mix several products, indicates ANSES, and not to consume medication at the same time without medical advice. Ideally, the use of these enriched products for athletes should be done with the informed advice of a sports professional, health professional or dietician, because certain eating habits can quite easily achieve similar results.

Finally, in the event of an unexpected effect on health, it is very important to report it to the ANSES portal. This saves time in identifying risky products.