An article that appeared in Nutra Ingredients-USA this morning warns about potential FDA action and the illegal use of 1,3-dimethylamylamine in weight loss supplements. Popularized by industry figure Patrick Arnold (Ergopharm, Amp), dimethylamylamine is a moderate stimulant-based compound that appears to possess both lipolytic and mood altering effects. Many users have been reporting both notable fat loss and a pleasing effect on mental energy and state of mind. Over the past several years, dimethylamylamine containing supplements have become popular on the U.S. dietary supplement market. Arnold has always defended the sale of this substance based on the fact that it is an amino acid metabolite, and can be found naturally in geranium oil. The Nutra Ingredients article disagrees, claiming the supplement form is synthetic, and thus illegal for sale.

Dimethylamylamine products have been available over the counter for several years now, and we know of no solid FDA regulatory action having taken place against them. Though the ingredient hasn’t been shy of controversy, including a feature article warning about its potential dangers in the Washington Post a couple of years ago. The dangers never seemed to materialize, however, nor FDA action, so it is difficult to know what to make of this report. It does seem to be trigging an industry response though, and we hear talk that distributors may be dropping dimethylamylamine products unless they can be better substantiated as natural. Manufacturers should be on alert for potential marketing and regulatory issues with this ingredient.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Industry/Synthetic-geranium-substance-raises-ephedra-like-red-flags

— William Llewellyn