This study, published in JAMA Network Open, investigates the presence and quantity of botanical ingredients with purported performance-enhancing properties in sports supplements. The researchers used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry to analyze various dietary supplements for the presence of specific compounds.
Three types of supplements were analyzed:
Rauwolfia vomitoria supplements: These were selected from the National Institutes of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database. The researchers found that some of the dietary supplements contained rauwolsine and yohimbine, indicating the addition of synthetic or isolated compounds.
Methylliberine products: These were found using the Google Images search engine and the National Institute of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database. The researchers developed and validated an Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array (UHPLC-PDA) Analysis method to analyze these products.
Turkesterone products: These were selected by searching the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. The researchers developed and validated a Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-QToF-MS) method to analyze these products.
In addition, the researchers also analyzed Halostachine and Octopamine products, which were selected using the Google Images search engine and the National Institute of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database. The researchers used the same LC-QToF-MS method to analyze these products.
Finally, the researchers screened the supplements for synthetic or hidden compounds using a database of 9203 compounds. They detected 1,4-DMAA, oxilofrine (methylsynephrine), deterenol (isopropylnorsynephrine or isopropyloctopamine), octodrine (1,5-DMHA) and omberacetam (Noopept) in various supplements.
The study provides valuable insights into the composition of dietary supplements and highlights the presence of synthetic or isolated compounds in some products. This information is crucial for health food retailers, as it can help them make informed decisions about the products they sell and provide accurate information to their customers.
