Sex Pill Recalled
November 27, 2009
Just before the weekend, the dietary supplement called “RockHard Weekend” is being recalled because it contains an erectile dysfunction drug that is not listed on the label! FDA lab testing determined that some RockHard Weekend packages contain sulfoaildenfil, which is related to Sildenfil, the active ingredient in FDA-approved erectile dysfunction drugs. The undeclared use of the drug ingredient in the recalled supplements may pose a risk of death or injury to users who take nitrates and prescription medications, such as nitroglycerin, for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions, the FDA said. Negative interaction between sulfoaildenfil and nitrates could result in life-threatening drops in blood pressure, officials said.
So What Does RockHard Laboratories Say About This?
They’ve issued a statement that said that one of the raw ingredients imported from China was tainted with sulfoaildenfil, causing the product contamination. The following RockHard Weekend products, lot numbers, and expiration dates are included in the recall: Blister Pack: T12 705 08 (exp: 10/11) / T12 705 09 (exp: 3/12, 8/12)3ct Bottle: R417 0509 (exp: 09/12) 8ct Bottle: T237-0509 (exp: 06/12)
Not The First Sex Pill Recall
This is not the first time a dietary supplement has been recalled for containing undeclared ingredients used in erectile dysfunction drugs. Libipower Plus, Stamina-RX, and Stiff Nights brands of dietary supplements were recently recalled due to undeclared drug ingredients.
SOURCE: Attorney At Law
NSF Celebrates 65 Years
November 25, 2009
Yes, that IS Frank Sepe! Okay, back to the post… It’s NSF’s birthday! yes, NSF International is celebrating 65 years of protecting and improving human health and safety worldwide. Since its founding, NSF International has become one of the most trusted names in certifying products to help ensure the safety of food and drinking water, dietary supplements and consumer goods.
Early Beginings
NSF’s heritage dates back to 1944 when two professors from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, and a public health official from nearby Toledo, OH, saw a need to standardize the health requirements for commercial foodservice equipment. Since that time, NSF has developed more than 72 American National Standards to protect food and water, dietary supplements, pools and spas, and consumer goods.
How Big Is NSF?
The organization has more than 850 employees, operating in more than 120 countries, with certification programs for multiple products.
NSF Also Tests Supplements
NSF’s Dietary Supplement Certification program verifies that what is on the label is in the bottle and that the product does not contain undeclared ingredients or contaminants. NSF’s Athletic Banned Substances Certification program, Certified for Sport™, builds on this dietary supplement certification program by including screening that ensures the product does not contain banned or prohibited substances.
SOURCE: Vitamin Retailer
Lychee Extract Reduces Fat
November 25, 2009
So I guess Martini’s aren’t bad for you after all! A rare extract found in lychees may reduce abdominal fat according to Japanese researchers. For those that don’t know, lychees are the white fruit that comes in a standard Martini. Human volunteers taking a daily supplement of the commercially available lychee extract “Oligonol” lost approximately 3 centimetres in their waist size, as well as a 6 per cent reduction in subcutaneous fat and a 15 per cent reduction in abdominal fat!
“We revealed that Oligonol reduced BMI and subcutaneous and visceral fat volumes, and improved insulin resistance,” report researchers. “In particular, remarkable reduction of visceral fat areas was observed,” they noted.
Study details
Test subjects received a daily Oligonol dose of 50 milligrams, while the other received placebo. After 10 weeks of study, in addition to the improvements in waist circumference, an abdominal fat, improvements in insulin resistance were recorded in the Oligonol group, compared to placebo.
How Does It Work?
Scientists are unsure of the complete mechanism but what’s very interesting to me is that Oligonol increased blood levels of “Adiponectin” which is a hormone that regulates a number of metabolic processes. It seems that this hormone may become elevated by taking Oliginol.
Availability
I’m not aware of the ingredient being added to any top named diet pills (yet) but supplement companies can get the raw ingredient from the Maypro Group in the US. Maypro claims the ingredient is unique because it makes use of a patented technology that boosts polyphenol bioavailability and in turn enhances anti-oxidant performance.
SOURCE: Nutraingredients
Scott Welch’s New Magazine Column In Natural Muscle
November 23, 2009
By: Scott Welch BASc (Nutrition) CAAP (Advertising)
A few weeks back, I announced that the magazine “Natural Muscle” has agreed to sign me on to write a monthly column for them titled “Ask The Supplement Genius“. Yes, it turns out that my obsession with researching the supplement industry has FINALLY paid off! Each month, I answer your questions and arm you with the latest tips on getting the most from your supplement arsenal. If you’ve got a question you want answered, email me at Genius@SupplementGenius.com. To see a digital version of the November issue, just click HERE (my column is on page 18).
SCOTT WELCH CONTACT INFO:
genius@supplementgenius.com
http://www.Twitter.com/WelchScott
http://www.Facebook.com/Scott.Welch1
SupplementRadio.com Update
November 19, 2009
Currently, there are no less than 13 fitness-industry podcasts on the internet and they are:
- Pro Bodybuilding Weekly
- Pro MMA Radio
- Team MD Radio Show
- Flex Wheeler Radio Show
- Heavy Muscle Radio
- Off Topic Radio
- Super Human Radio
- Muscle Girls Inc.
- After Hours Radio Show
- Sex & Muscle
- Performance Nutrition Show
- The Weekend Workout
- Canadian Bodybuilding Radio
A few months ago, I introduced you to a new podcast radio show I’m launching titled “Supplement Radio” and the response I’ve got thus far has been overwhelming! Within 1 hour of posting about it originally, I received 43 emails asking me when the show will air and who will be our first guest? I also received offers from a dozen significant figures in the fitness industry to help out with the show!
So When Will Supplement Radio Air?
Great question and one that is long overdue! We’re recording our first episode of Supplement Radio at this year’s Arnold Classic. We’re doing interviews with top experts, shout outs by the best bodies in the industry all while spinning the top house music tracks! Once we get back from the show, we move to full scale production. We’ve already got very strong interest from advertisers for this new media property which is half the battle!
So What’s Supplement Radio All About?
Supplement Radio will deliver the uncensored truth about an industry that’s desperately lacking credibility. Wanna know which supplements meet label claim and which? We’ll have a scientist that 
tests products right on the show to tell you! Ever wonder if the pros REALLY take the supplements they endorse? The answer might upset the industry, but we’ll have them right on the show to tell you! Wanna hear Ronnie Coleman get a prank phone call at 3 am? We’ll do it! This is just a teaser of what the show will have but there’s one “secret” component that’s gonna make Supplement Radio unlike any of the current bodybuilding podcasts out there … Drop by MUSCLE INSIDER booth at this year’s Arnold Classic and meet Germany’s DJ Maxx Scholz (pictured on left) and see what this “secret” is all about…
Vitamins Reduce Allergen Risk In Children
November 18, 2009
By: Scott Welch BASc (Nutrition), CAAP (Advertising)
Scientists from the Karolinska Institute report that multivitamin supplements had no effect on the incidence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, or atopic sensitization in 8 year old children. What’s interesting though is that when scientists limited their analysis to kids who started taking supplements before the age of four they found that the kids experienced a 39 per cent decrease in the risk of sensitivity to food allergens. That’s some good Preventive medicine if you ask me!
“Our results show no association between current use of multivitamins and risk of allergic disease but suggest that supplementation with multivitamins during the first years of life may reduce the risk of allergic disease at school age.”
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition via Nutraingredeints.com
SCOTT WELCH CONTACT INFO:
genius@supplementgenius.com
http://www.Twitter.com/WelchScott
http://www.Facebook.com/Scott.Welch1
Omega 3 Water
November 18, 2009
By: Scott Welch BASc (Nutrition), CAAP (Advertising)
Ya, I thought the pic was hilarious too! A company called Renewal Laboratories has announced that it’s developed a patent-pending process to produce the first ever omega3 supplement drink, containing the 500 mg daily dose of fish oil, in a good tasting and refreshing format. As you know, Fish oil contains the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA that the body cannot make itself which must be supplied by food or supplements.
So What’s So Special About It?
The patent pending process transforms normally fat soluble supplements into stable water soluble microparticles without using chemical additives. Other manufacturers add emulsifiers or detergents, such as polysorbate 80, or chemically modify the ingredient molecules, to increase water solubility. Competing technologies are rarely able to put enough desirable supplements into their products to make them nutritionally beneficial. Using only the highest quality ingredients, the Renewal products are low calorie, all natural, and can be certified organic. Will this stuff taste as good as they say? Hmm, sounds “fishy” to me!
SOURCE: PR NEWSWIRE
SCOTT WELCH CONTACT INFO:
genius@supplementgenius.com
http://www.Twitter.com/WelchScott
http://www.Facebook.com/Scott.Welch1
Supplement Genius On Cover Of Natural Muscle
November 17, 2009
Well it seems like the hard work is finally starting to pay off! As some of you know, I’m a columnist for the magazine Natural Muscle where I write the column “Ask The Supplement Genius“. In this section, I answer the tough supplement questions many people throw my way.
Baking Soda For Stamina?
In the upcoming issue, I reveal a cheap but VERY effective “supplement” that will drastically increase stamina during training. But this supplement can’t be bought at any GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Popeye’s, Reflex, or any of the other top health-food stores. But you’ve likely got this “supplement” right in your own kitchen right now. The supplement I’m referring to is not a supplement at all, it’s baking soda! Yes, if you take ordinary baking soda the right way, you can drastically buffer lactic acid build up in muscle tissue. This “buffering” effect prevents the “burn” you feel with high-rep training. The editorial team at Natural Muscle liked this trick so much they even gave it a cover blurb (see magazine cover on left). Look for this issue in December.
Amino Acid Supplements Made From Bird Feathers
November 17, 2009
By: Scott Welch
The most disgusting thing I’ve learned about supplements in a while took place at this year’s SupplySide West conference. The topic of discussion was “how amino acids were made”. Now I’ve always believed that manufacturers just took protein powder, hydrolyzed it and then added extra enzymes to cleave the residue into free-form amino acids. Well I stopped by the AJINOMOTO booth (who are based in Japan and are one of the largest supplier of amino acids in the world), and spoke with sales manager Mike Tesch who told me something shocking! He said that many chinese manufacturing companies make amino acids by taking human hair and bird feathers (yes, bird feathers) and treat them with an acid that breaks them down into amino acids! Talk about YUUUUK! What’s worse is that he said a great number of amino acid supplements are made by this method.
SCOTT WELCH CONTACT INFO:
genius@supplementgenius.com
http://www.Twitter.com/WelchScott
http://www.Facebook.com/Scott.Welch1
Supplement Regulation In Europe
November 16, 2009
By: Johnny Justice
In the U.S. many manufacturers of supplements have learned to live with the continually increased supplement regulations and FDA enforcement. However, in Europe manufacturers are concerned that many of the 4,000 or so health claims being made for supplements may be rejected by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), because it requires these to be truthful and not misleading! Wow, what a concept!
80% Of Marketing Claims Were Not Approved
Scientific substantiation of marketing claims is at the heart of a real controversy for the dietary supplement industry in Europe.
“The situation is very complex and difficult,” notes Patrick Coppens. The European nutrition and health claims legislation was passed in 2006, but the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) only began handing down decisions in 2009. “The standards for scientific substantiation are very high, and there are concerns that existing claims for food and food supplements will be found not to have proper scientific justification,” Coppens explains.
Of the initial evaluations completed, nearly 80% were not approved. The EFSA planned to review nearly 1,500 claims by the end of November 2009, but it has already sent back about 2,700 for further clarification! Many supplement manufacturers have indicated there is great confusion over what exactly is needed in the way of scientific data to support claims.
“It is definitely a quagmire … a lot of clarity is still needed.” says Daniel Fabricant, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Natural Products Association.
What Is A Quagmire?
Okay, if you’re as confused as I was when I read that strange word Mr. Fabricant used in his quote, then read this section.
Wikipeadia defines a quagmire as: “A type of wetland. It may also refer to a predicament or situation from which it is difficult to extricate oneself.”
Usage Levels For Vitamins & Minerals In Europe
Standard guidelines on the usage-level for vitamins and minerals is needed desperately as a great deal of variance exists amongst the many European countries. A proposal containing recommended maximum levels is expected in the near future but getting each country to agree on the levels of each will be very difficult.
SOURCE: Nutraingredients.com