Acacia rigidula supplements still containing stimulant found on market

By Toni Clarke WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than two years after U.S. health regulators discovered an amphetamine-like stimulant in dietary supplements containing Acacia rigidula, products containing the substance remain on the market, a study has found. The study, published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis and made public on Tuesday, found the stimulant beta-methylphenylethylamine, or BMPEA, in more than half of 21 brands of Acacia rigidula supplements purchased a year after the discovery by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is classified as a doping agent by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it is closely related to amphetamine. An FDA spokeswoman, JuliAnn Putnam, said the agency's "first priority" is to ensure dietary supplements are safe and that "our review of the available information on products containing BMPEA does not identify a specific safety concern at this time." She said the FDA "will consider taking regulatory action, as appropriate, to protect consumers." Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and lead author on the study, said the FDA should warn consumers immediately about BMPEA and take action to eliminate it from dietary supplements. via Health News Headlines - Yahoo News Read More Here..