DMAA, a substance found in nutritional and sports supplements that is typically marketed as a “natural” stimulant, may actually be comprised of synthetic compounds, according to a new analysis.
The study, published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis, found that DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) – in various pre-workout supplements and often labeled as part of geranium plants – is actually made from four different synthetic compounds called stereoisomers that could not have originated from the plants.
"The FDA should regulate and/or ban products in which significant amounts of synthetic pharmacological compounds are added," said lead researcher Daniel W. Armstrong, of the University of Texas at Arlington. "Also, this information should be clearly labeled – including their effects and possible side effects – so that consumers can make an informed choice.”
The safety and origin of DMAA in these supplements has prompted intense debate since the stimulant was recently linked to the death of two U.S. soldiers, which caused the Army to pull the supplement from its commissaries, researchers noted.
For the study, Armstrong sought to determine the makeup of DMAA. Eight different geranium extracts of different geographical origins were examined for the presence of DMAA, but no DMAA was found in any of the geranium extracts. In addition, Armstrong’s tests showed DMAA actually consists of synthetic compounds that did not come from the plants.