The media has always been fascinated with the supplement and nutrition industry and have the habit of running completely misleading broadcasts and specials on whatever the latest big thing is in the industry. Recently they have turned their attention to DMAA. DMAA is a stimulant utilised in a high level of pre workouts and fat burners that has been used heavily for the past 6 years. In that time there has not been any negative health issues conclusively linked to its usage, however 2 soldiers that recently passed away were found to have DMAA in there systems and that’s what started this witch hunt. Now, I may not be a massive fan or advocate of DMAA BUT I believe the decision of what supplements and products we use is an individual’s personal choice and as long as dosages and directions are adhered to then I see no issue with these products. In the media coverage they showed people clubbing and using the drug for parties. This is obviously very misleading as the product is in no way advertised by supplement companies as a “party drug”.
Supplement experts will always warn consumers of the potency of the products and the safest way to use them. It can be very frustrating when you see these stories and media time wasted on health or sports products and ingredients when we have thousands dying annually from smoking, alcohol and obesity. When used correctly by healthy individuals with no existing health problems DMAA poses absolutely no threat to the individuals’ health and well-being. Will DMAA eventually be banned? At the moment it is impossible to tell. There is no conclusive evidence that it causes ill effects and at the current time there is no ban in place. Whether this changes remains to be seen. So in conclusion, don’t be misled by the uneducated Australian media where it seems the only things worth writing about are those with a hidden agenda and are construed to take people’s attention away from the real issues we face every day. So in the meantime, keep training and feel free to make your own educated decisions on what you choose to use for your training and supplementation.
