Here at Natural Grocers, we have strict quality standards and many experts on staff who would not be fooled into allowing a product containing methylsynephrine onto our shelves. We want our consumers to know that they can trust the products that we carry in the store and the products and companies who supply these products have been subject to rigorous review. A list of products that contain methylsynephrine as an ingredient is located in the National Institute of Health Dietary Supplement Label Database or consumers can view the research paper itself if they are curious if a product that they did not buy at Natural Grocers may contain this ingredient.

As Dr. Cohen and his group acknowledge, “the US law regulating supplements does not permit dietary supplements to contain unapproved pharmaceutical drugs such as oxilofrine.” Furthermore, since oxilofrine, has not been subjected to the New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) notification process, a requirement under the law, it is illegal to sell a dietary supplement that contains this ingredient. We commend Dr. Cohen’s research and also commend the FDA for taking legal action against rogue companies who are attempting to pass pharmaceutical containing sports nutrition supplements off as dietary supplements. It is truly a shame that bad players break what is a very clearly written law and attempt to confuse consumers.

Responsible marketers and manufacturers of supplements who compose the mainstream dietary supplement industry are in lockstep with FDA when it comes to enforcing the law and protecting the safety of their consumers, and we strongly urge the companies that received these warning letters—and any others that may be selling this illegal ingredient—to heed the agency’s warning immediately. For any companies that do not take these warnings seriously, we expect FDA to move quickly and aggressively to the next steps available to it under the law to get these products off the market. We urge consumers to follow FDA’s advice and not to use products containing methylsynephrine, oxilofrine, or p-hydroxyephedrine.