Whats The Buzz: The case on DMAA

Because i'm talking about Pre workouts for a while it's important to talk about certain properties in the supplements.

The FDA is cracking down and warning supplement providers not to produce or sell supplements with DMAA. However, just as they have tried to crack down on pro hormones and it failed, companies are still producing new products with the DMAA. Working at a local supplement shop, we have certain products containing DMAA. My favorite Pre workout contains DMAA and so do many others.

Recently two military men died during a workout after taking heavy doses of "Jack3d." Coroners say that an excessive amount of DMAA was found in their blood stream and this lead to accelerated heart rate and eventually myocardial Infarction. Some say that DMAA contains chemical similarities to cocaine or speed. What are all of the side effects of DMAA though? A better question might be how can this supplement help or kill me, and is it just hot air or for real?

DMAA, just like caffeine, accelerates the heart rate and dehydrates [diuretic] the body. Dehydrating the body thins the blood stream lowering blood pressure causing the cardiac output [Q] to increase to restore levels. This means increased systol and more ventricular work. In other words dehydration accelerates heart rate. DMAA also is a stimulant causing a spike in the sympathetic NS driving heart rate up. This means more output by the heart rate at resting state and more ventricular force. In other words accelerated heart rate and more strenuous force. DMAA also causes a vasoconstriction [diameters of vessels shrink] resulting in a spike in BP and restricted blood flow to certain areas, and in some cases restricted VO2 [Volume of Oxygen intake].

So we have learned so far the DMAA:

• Dehydrates and therefore increases Q
• increases Q by sympathetic stimulant causes rise in BP
• vasoconstriction causing BP to rise and VO2 to drop

Why is it even legal then? This is a question that pops into mind as we see the risks associated with DMAA. Initially this product was used as a nasal spray to combat allergies. After realizing its stimulant like properties, supplement companies were eager to add it to their concoctions. It was initially said that the DMAA extract came from germanium plants. However this is being proven false.

So here is the basic question you need to ask yourself. Should I be willing to take DMAA? The risks are presented to you at face value. We take in caffeine and processed sugars in high amounts. They have high risk factors if abused but we do it anyway. If I take in sugar it wont affect me much. But if a diabetic does they may go into a  coma. If someone who is caffeine sensitive drinks coffee, they may have a heart attack. But I'm not so when i drink caffeine I don't have an adverse reaction. Just like when i take in a product with DMAA [in conservative amounts] I respond in a safe way. It is highly about the person and how their body responds to the product. You have to know your body, so that you may know what to put in it.

The safest way to take a product with DMAA is to be properly hydrated, to continue hydrating during exercise, and to warm up so that your HR doesn't spike too rapidly. The way things are going however, you wont have to worry about that because DMAA will be off the market in not time.