FDA Finds Anabolic Steroids in Vitamin B Supplement

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that anabolic steroids have been discovered in a certain vitamin B supplement, according to a press release.

The announcement came Friday and warned consumers against buying or using Healthy Life Chemistry by Purity First B-50, which was marketed as a vitamin B supplement.

Preliminary FDA lab results revealed the presence of two potentially harmful anabolic steroids: methasterone, a controlled substance, and dimethazine. The two substances were not listed on the label and should not be taken as a dietary supplement.

"Products marketed as a vitamin but which contain undisclosed steroids pose a real danger to consumers and are illegal," Howard Sklamberg, director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in the release. "The FDA is committed to ensuring that products marketed as vitamins and dietary supplements do not pose harm to consumers."

The FDA received 29 complaints regarding the product including fatigue, muscle cramping and muscle pain, as well as abnormal liver function and cholesterol levels. Women reported unusual hair growth and missed menstruation, while men experienced lower testosterone and impotence.

One of the risks anabolic steroids pose is acute liver injury and failure, which can result in hospitalization. There were no such reports.

Long-term effects of anabolic steroids in women include breast enlargement and masculinization. In men it is known to cause testicles to shrink and drop in fertility, while resulting in short height in children. The substance is also believed to increase one's chance of heart failure and stroke.

Anabolic steroids are banned substances in many professional sports including Major League Baseball and the National Football League for their artificial enhancement of performance and adverse effects on a person's body.

"Consumers using Healthy Life Chemistry By Purity First B-50 who experience any of these symptoms should consult a health care professional and report their experience to the FDA," according to the FDA's MedWatch Program.