Sport and dietary supplement warning - Queensland Health
Sport and dietary supplement warning - Queensland Health
Sport and dietary supplement warning - Queensland Health
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20 November 2013<br />
<strong>Sport</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>dietary</strong> <strong>supplement</strong> <strong>warning</strong><br />
Queensl<strong>and</strong>’s Department of <strong>Health</strong> is urging people to exercise caution if using sports <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>dietary</strong> <strong>supplement</strong>s without medical supervision.<br />
The <strong>warning</strong> comes as Queensl<strong>and</strong> authorities investigate two cases of acute non-viral<br />
hepatitis in body builders with potential links to the consumption of sports <strong>and</strong> <strong>dietary</strong><br />
<strong>supplement</strong>s.<br />
Chief health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said acute non-viral hepatitis was damage to liver<br />
cells from any cause lasting less than six months.<br />
‘‘Acute non-viral hepatitist is not contagious <strong>and</strong> symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of<br />
appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay coloured bowel movements,<br />
joint pain, yellow eyes, <strong>and</strong> jaundice,’’ Dr Young said.<br />
The United States Food <strong>and</strong> Drug Administration have been investigating a specific sports<br />
<strong>supplement</strong> called OxyELITE Pro that has been linked with cases of acute non-viral<br />
hepatitis in the US, particularly Hawaii.<br />
‘‘Food St<strong>and</strong>ards Australia New Zeal<strong>and</strong> (FSANZ) recently advised consumers not to use<br />
OxyELITE Pro <strong>supplement</strong>s due to them potentially being linked to the US cases.<br />
‘‘This <strong>supplement</strong>, OxyELITE Pro, may be available to Australians online however, a recall<br />
of these products has now been conducted in the US.’’<br />
Dr Young said the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) had issued an alert to<br />
consumers not to take OxyELITE Pro capsules, which contain a prescription only<br />
substance in Australia.<br />
‘‘Taking these capsules could pose serious health risks for people with underlying risk<br />
factors,’’ Dr Young said.<br />
“People also need to be particularly careful about purchasing products online as they can<br />
have unsafe ingredients <strong>and</strong> consumers can’t be certain they are getting legitimate<br />
products.<br />
‘‘Consumers should especially exercise caution if consuming a number of these types of<br />
sports <strong>and</strong> <strong>dietary</strong> products in combination as the effects <strong>and</strong> interactions of those<br />
<strong>supplement</strong>s may be unknown.’’<br />
Dr Young said the department recommended that anyone considering the use of any type<br />
of sports or <strong>dietary</strong> <strong>supplement</strong> should seek medical advice.<br />
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‘‘Consumers who experience any health effects as a result of consuming these or any<br />
<strong>dietary</strong> <strong>supplement</strong>s should seek urgent medical assistance.’’<br />
For further information go to:<br />
• http://www.foodst<strong>and</strong>ards.gov.au/media/Pages/Alert-US-investigation-into-<strong>dietary</strong><strong>supplement</strong>s.aspx<br />
• http://www.tga.gov.au/safety/alerts-medicine-oxyelite-110708.htm<br />
• http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm370849.htm<br />
ENDS<br />
Media contact: 3234 1439<br />
www.health.qld.gov.au/news https://www.facebook.com/QLD<strong>Health</strong> https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews