An investigation into sports supplements has resulted in products being pulled from shelves after they were found to contain amphetamine-like stimulants as well as prescription drugs used to treat ADHD and Parkinson's disease.
Consumer NZ undertook a mystery shop of six sports supplement stores and found six products that contained seven illegal drugs, ranging from amphetamine-like stimulants to prescription medicines.
"In New Zealand, sports supplements don't need to be tested or proved safe before being sold. The responsibility is placed on the seller to ensure the product is made to an acceptable quality and is safe to use. We think there needs to be tighter regulation to ensure potentially dangerous ingredients aren't winding up on New Zealand shelves," said Gemma Rasmussen, Consumer NZ's Head of Communications and Campaigns.
Products that contained prescription drugs included Lit the F%#k up by Liberty Labz, a 'fat burner' that claims to 'increase energy, metabolism and suppress appetite'. This was found to include Octodrine, a prescription drug which is an amphetamine-like stimulant with effects including euphoria, alertness, and an increased pain threshold. The product was removed from sale from Supplements Solutions after contact from Consumer NZ.
