The latest press release regarding Bodybuilding.com‘s ongoing cooperation with the FDA.

BODYBUILDING.COM Is Conducting a Voluntary Nationwide and International Recall of 65 Dietary Supplements That May Contain Steroids
Company Contact:
1-866-236-8417
service@bodybuilding.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Boise, ID – November 3, 2009 – As part of its ongoing cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), Bodybuilding.com, LLC (the “Company”) announced today that it is conducting a voluntary nationwide and international recall of all lots and expiration dates of 65 dietary supplement products (the “Recalled Products”) described on the attached list, that were sold through the Company’s website, www.bodybuilding.com.

The FDA has informed the Company that it believes that the Recalled Products contain ingredients that are steroids. Specifically, the FDA has advised the Company of its concern that the Recalled Products may contain the following ingredients that are currently classified, or the FDA believes should be classified, as steroids: “Superdrol,” “Madol,” “Tren,” “Androstenedione,” and/or “Turinabol.” While the Company has not had an opportunity to independently confirm the FDA’s concerns that the Recalled Products in fact contain these ingredients, the Company is undertaking this voluntary recall in an abundance of caution.

Acute liver injury is known to be a possible harmful effect of using steroid-containing products. In addition, steroids may cause other serious long-term adverse health consequences in men, women, and children. These include shrinkage of the testes and male infertility, masculinization of women, breast enlargement in males, short stature in children, a higher predilection to misuse other drugs and alcohol, adverse effects on blood lipid levels, and increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.

The Company has not received to date any reports of adverse events in connection with the Recalled Products. Because of the possible harmful effects of using products containing steroids, the Company is cooperating with the FDA to conduct a recall of the products the FDA has identified as containing steroids. Prior to agreeing to carry the Recalled Products, the Company received assurances from all of the manufacturers of the Recalled Products that these products were properly classified as dietary supplements in compliance with federal law, meaning that these products did not contain any unlawful ingredient. Customers who have any of the Recalled Products in their possession should stop using them immediately and contact their physician if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking one or more of the ingredients listed above.

Any adverse events that may be related to the use of the Recalled Products should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm], by phone [1-800-FDA-1088], or by returning the postagepaid FDA form 3500 [which may be downloaded from www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm] by mail [to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787] or fax [1-800-FDA- 0178].

The Company is committed to providing accurate information about its products. The Company is working voluntarily with the FDA in this recall process.

Consumers should return any unused products purchased on the Company’s site to the Company. For instructions on how to return Recalled Products please call (1-866-236-8417) or e-mail (service@bodybuilding.com) the Company.

RECALLED PRODUCT LIST
Brand Name
4Ever Fit D-Drol
Advanced Muscle Science Dienedrone
Advanced Muscle Science Liquidrone UTT
Anabolic Xtreme Hyperdrol X2
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Mastavol
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Revamp
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Ultra Mass Stack
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Ripped Stack
Better Body Sports Finadex
Black China Labs Straight Drol
Black China Labs Straight Phlexed
Body Conditioning Solutions TestraFLEX
Bjorklund Methyldrostanolone
BOSC Enterprises Epi-Tren
BOSC Enterprises Magna Drol
Chaparral Labs Epivol
Chaparral Labs Pheravol-V
Competitive Edge Labs M-Drol
Competitive Edge Labs P-Plex
Competitive Edge Labs X-tren
Diabolic Labs Epio-Plex
Diabolic Labs Finabolic 50
Diabolic Labs Revenge
Ergopharm 6-OXO
Ergopharm 6-OXO Extreme
EST (aka Engineered Sports Technology) MethAnstance
Extreme Labs Susto-Test Depot
Fizogen ON Cycle II Hardcore
G.E.T/ (Genetic Edge Technologies) SUS-500
G.E.T/ (Genetic Edge Technologies) Tren-250
Hardcore Formulations T-Roid
I Force Nutrition 1,4 AD Bold 200
I Force Dymethazine/Reversitol Combo Pack
I Force Reversitol
I Force Nutrition 17a PheraFLEX
I Force Nutrition Dymethazine
I Force Nutrition Methadrol
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Bromodrol
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Grow Tabs TR
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Mass Tabs
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Oxodrol Pro
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Ripped Tabs TR
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Rapid Release
Ripped Tabs
Kilo Sports Massdrol
Kilo Sports Phera-Mass
Kilo Sports Trenadrol
Monster Caps Monster Caps
Myogenix Spawn
Nutra Coastal D-Stianozol
Nutra Coastal H-Drol
Nutra Coastal MDIT
Nutra Coastal S-Drol
Nutra Coastal Trena
Performance Anabolics Methastadrol
Performance Anabolics Tri-Methyl X
Purus Labs E-pol Inslinsified
Purus Labs Nasty Mass
Rage RV2
Rage RV3
Rage RV4
Rage RV5
Redefine Nutrition Finaflex 550-XD
Redefine Nutrition Finaflex Ripped
Transform Supplements Forged Extreme Mass
Transform Supplements Forged Lean Mass

Another crackdown by the federal government took place but didn’t make the same headlines as the Bodybuilding.com one did. iFORCE Nutrition’s California offices and warehouse were raided in connection to four of their products. This story appeared on signonsandiego.com today:

Vista company raided in supplement probe
By Mark Zeigler
Union-Tribune Staff Writer

2:00 a.m. October 1, 2009

The tentacles of the federal crackdown on over-the-counter nutritional supplements laced with anabolic steroids reached into San Diego County last week, when a Vista company was raided amid suspicions it is manufacturing and selling illegal substances.

A search warrant affidavit issued Sept. 24 for iFORCE Nutrition’s Vista offices and warehouse at 1305 Hot Spring Way appears to be part of a larger federal probe into tainted supplements. That day, the Idaho headquarters of Bodybuilding.com — believed to be the largest online national distributor of supplements — also was raided.

Four of the products identified in the Idaho investigation came from iFORCE Nutrition, according to court documents. Also according to those documents, a Food and Drug Administration lab found they contained various anabolic steroids. One of them is Madol or DMT, a powerful designer steroid used by elite athletes.

David Nelson, the owner of iFORCE Nutrition, did not return a phone message left at his San Marcos home.

“These are significant steps, but unfortunately even after these raids you can still purchase Madol on places like Amazon.com , like we did on Sunday,” said Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. “The fact that the FDA has no notice on any of the ingredients coming into the market doesn’t allow them to effectively regulate them.

“It’s a true whack-a-mole approach.”

On Tuesday, Tygart testified at a congressional hearing that examined the abuse of the dietary supplement laws. And in July, the FDA issued a public health advisory for bodybuilding supplements claiming to deliver steroid-like results.

“Adverse event reports received by the FDA . . . include cases of serious liver injury, stroke, kidney failure and pulmonary embolism,” the July 28 advisory says.

Union-Tribune

Note the story reports you can buy these supplements on Amazon.com and we have yet to hear any headlines from them being raided. I wonder why that is…

Last week, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators executed a search warrant of Bodybuilding.com‘s headquarters in Boise, Idaho.  The headlines were beyond absurd in connection to the story. Here’s an example of some of the headlines last week from mainstream media:

Bodybuilding.com charged with distributing steroids – 2News

FDA muscles up on Bodybuilding.com, Web site suspected of selling steroids – NY Daily News

Bodybuilding.com Under Investigation for Selling Steroids – ABC 6

Bodybuilding.com didn’t manufacture steroids or steroid-laced supplements. The real issue relates to a few supplement products, their ingredients and their claims. The headlines want you to think Bodybuilding.com is a steroid dealer which is ludacris. Bodybuilding.com is an online retailer of bodybuilding supplements and the biggest one at that. The FDA could easily make similar claims against other companies selling the same products. Joe the Plummer could have a supplement store with the same products and face the same allegations. The difference is it makes for shocking news and big headlines when you can tie Liberty Media (the parent company of Bodybuilding.com) to baseball’s Atlanta Braves, which it also owns. That’s the angle The New York Times took in their opening paragraph on the story.

Many stories mention, “Bodybuilding.com received five warning letters from 2002 to 2006, according to court documents” in their reports but fail to mention whether or not they complied ot the letters. The Idaho Statesman was the only report I could find that reported the facts related to the warning letters. It wrote:

The letters “related to the unlawful distribution of products,” said Robert Blenkinsop, an investigator with the Food and Drug Administration, in an affidavit that was part of a search warrant issued Thursday by a magistrate judge.

Blenkinsop said Bodybuilding.com substantially complied with the warning letters either by rewording language on its Web page or stopping the sale of certain products.

The United States Congress is now getting involved and holding hearings related to the issue. Yesterday, Congress discussed dietary supplements and their laws. The problem, in my opinion, isn’t with companies like Bodybuilding.com that sell supplements. The problem lies with a few individuals/companies who want to make a quick buck and could care less about a sustained business. They like push the enevelope on supplement ingredients and claims. The supplement industry needs to regulate itself better and its claims to avoid more laws. The mainstream media enjoys sensationalizing things and will continue to put their spin on stories like these. My hope is that supplement companies avoid giving them any more fuel for their fire.

Did the Hydroxycut recall cause such a demand for their new formula that people are being robbed over it? Apparently a man with “skinny arms” and a “pot belly” desperately needed the fat loss pills and resorted a hold-up to get them.  Ya, this is a bizarre one…

A robber got away with money and a bottle of weight-loss pills after holding up a GNC store in North Stafford Thursday, police said.

Sheriff’s spokesman Bill Kennedy said the victim noticed the suspect standing outside the Stafford Marketplace store, talking on a cell phone for about 10 minutes before entering the store about 1:25 p.m.

The man asked for some Hydroxycut pills, and the employee went to a locked cabinet to get them, Kennedy said.

The suspect then indicated that he had a gun and said he wanted money from the cash register. The clerk complied and the suspect got an undisclosed amount of cash and the bottle of pills.

Before leaving, the suspect made the victim lie on the ground. The victim immediately called police, but did not see which way the suspect went.

Deputies and police dogs rushed to the scene, but did not find the suspect.

The suspect was described as black, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 180 pounds, wearing blue pants and a blue shirt.

He had skinny arms, a pot belly and smelled like alcohol, Kennedy said.
– Story Source: fredericksburg.com

The last day to vote is quickly approaching in the Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards. The final day to vote is August 31 for your favorites. When you vote, you will be entered to win $500 in free supplements from Bodybuilding.com and automatically receive a 5% discount for use in our store anytime until the end of September!

Supplement Award Winners will be announced live at the 2009 Olympia Expo next month.

Ava Cowan is officially a member of Team Gaspari. I had a chance to chat with Ava a couple weeks ago in Tampa when she shared the news with me. When asked about the signing she informed me, this was the first supplement company she has signed with. She’s a worked booths in the past but was careful not to associate her name and image with a supplement company in the process. This is a smart move on her part as she has a fairly large following in the fitness industry and by signing with a supplement company she brings those fans with her. All too often women jump at any opportunity that comes their way in regards to sponsorship.

The Gaspari press release quotes Ava as saying, “I am absolutely thrilled to be making my way back to the NPC stage. From the moment I started to train for my first NPC figure competition in 2005, my dream was to become an IFBB figure professional. I have always used Gaspari’s products, and now I have the opportunity to take my supplementation protocol to another level. It is really a dream come true to be able to work with Gaspari Nutrition and I look forward to the endless possibilities in the years to come.”

Tom and Ava at the Gaspari booth in Dallas.

Another supplement company has been warned by the FDA.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

The agency also issued a warning letter to American Cellular Laboratories Inc. for marketing and distributing body-building products containing synthetic steroid substances. The FDA said that although these products are marketed as dietary supplements, they are actually unapproved and misbranded drugs.

The FDA has received five adverse-event reports, including serious liver injury, in men taking products marketed as dietary supplements by American Cellular Laboratories including TREN-Xtreme and MASS Xtreme. Acute liver injury is known to be a possible side effect of using products that contain anabolic steroids. Some of the cases resulted in hospitalization, but there were no reports of death or acute liver failure.

“Products marketed for body-building and claiming to contain steroids or steroid-like substances are illegal and potentially quite dangerous,” said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg. “The FDA is taking enforcement action today to protect the public.”

It looks like things could become more challenging for supplement companies as the FDA is paying close attention. Don’t be surprised if you hear about more companies getting warnings from the FDA in the coming months.

Most of you are familiar with the popular supplement line Muscle Milk. It’s been around for years and a staple in many competitors nutrition plans. Now the folks a Nestlé have taken issue with Cytosport, the makers of the popular supplement, and say that their brand is misleading.

The New York Times reports:

On June 9, Nestlé USA filed a petition with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to revoke Muscle Milk’s trademark for being “deceptively misdescriptive.” In response to questions from The New York Times, representatives for both Nestlé and CytoSport issued statements.

“Nestlé USA strongly believes in the nutritional benefits of milk,” the company stated. “Consumers looking at Muscle Milk, marketed as a ‘Nutritional Shake,’ are likely to be misled into believing they are purchasing a flavored or supplemented milk product, when, in fact, they are purchasing a water-based product that contains no milk.”

That’s all fine and dandy Nestlé but you’ve been aware of this company and you just now want to take issue with their trademark? Come on. You had no problem with them when they were the little company in the bodybuilding and fitness industry but now that the Muscle Milk products are showing up in grocery stores and convenient stores, you have a problem. I hope Cytosport shows their muscle and prevails over this bogus claim.

VPX is recalling more product this time due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Consumer Contact:
Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc dba VPX Sports
800-954-7904/954-641-0570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — July 7, 2009 – Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc. of 15751 SW 41^st Street #300, Davie, Fl. 33331 is recalling 17 lots of the powdered dietary supplement, Stealth Chocolate and Stealth Vanilla, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstance, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Stealth Vanilla and Stealth Chocolate was distributed Nationwide, including GNC Distribution Centers in Phoenix AZ; in Anderson, SC; and in Leetsdale, PA; and to VPX Sports Distribution Center in Weston, Fl; as well as Internationally.

The powdered product is packaged in 5lb blue, plastic jars with red band on around the top and bottom of the jar. The principal label bears the brand name of VPX and STEALTH, Muscle Amplification Lean Mass Gainer and the flavor in the lower 1/3; Vanilla Blast or Chocolate Rush. The production code and the expiration date are imprinted on the side panel above the Supplement Facts. The powdered product was also packaged in foil pouches as samples.

“No illnesses have been reported to date.”

We are taking this action because our product contains an ingredient Milk Protein Concentrate, recalled by one of our supplier, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Consumers should return the product to the store where it was purchased for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Vital Pharmaceutical Inc. at 1-800-954-7904 or 954-641-0570 during the hours of 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

— Read full FDA details here. Thanks to Millardbaker’s tweet for the news.

We’re all looking to save a little cash these days, right? Hell yeahs. Bodybuilding.com is helping everyone save a few ducketts by offering FREE SHIPPING, but it’s only for a limited time. How can you get free shipping?

For a limited time Bodybuilding.com is offering free shipping on all orders placed within the United States totaling $99 USD and above! To take advantage of this offer, add $99 worth of merchandise to your cart, select FedEx Ground shipping (or USPS for currently deployed military), and if you are shipping to a US address (APO/FPO/DPO included), see the free shipping automatically be applied to your order. This service will replace our free gift program temporarily, but don’t worry – many of the items offered will still be available at a discounted price as in-cart specials.

Now’s the perfect time to place that order of supplements and save!

VPX’s CEO Jack Owoc isn’t backing down just yet. Today, VPX filed an appeal of the injunction that was placed against them regarding their Muscle Power drink. As posted here, a federal judge ruled that Muscle Power’s name and packaging was too similar to CytoSports’s Muscle Milk. The following story appeared on BevNet.com:

VPX filed an appeal Friday of the injunction against its Muscle Power protein drink given to them this week by a federal judge.

The judge ruled that Muscle Power’s name and packaging was too similar to that of Cytosport’s Muscle Milk, the current leader of the fast-growing protein drink market.

VPX CEO Jack Owoc said he was disappointed by the judge’s ruling, which will require the company to remove all Muscle Power product from shelves and dispose of it.

VPX’s statement follows below, and more details on the injunction can be found here.

Statement from VPX:
VPX filed an appeal of the injunction issued by a district court in California precluding VPX from using its registered trademark “Muscle Power” and the trade dress on its packaging. Jack Owoc, CEO and founder of VPX, explained that VPX was highly disappointed by the ruling:

“We are very disconcerted by the court’s ruling and think that it was misled in regard to Cytosport’s rights and the nature of the competition in our industry. The only similarities in our trademarks are the use of the word ”Muscle,” but there are more than 60 registered trademarks at the Patent and Trademark Office in class 5 alone containing the word ”Muscle.” ”Muscle” is commonly used in product and company names in our industry, in part because our products help build muscle. Cytosport never objected to the registration of our trademark, despite having an opportunity to do so, and the Patent and Trademark Office found no conflict between “Muscle Power®” and “Muscle Milk®.”

We have never intended to confuse customers into thinking our product was Muscle Milk® – we want them to know it’s different and better! We point out in our advertising why Muscle Power® is a better product — Muscle Milk® contains 600% more sugar and a 183% more fat than Muscle Power®. Muscle Power contains 200% more fiber and 89% less carbohydrates.

We prominently put our VPX logo on the top center panel and, the background, like most VPX products, is the specific 293 Pantone Blue color that consumers have identified as our brand for many years. VPX apologizes to its customers for any disruption this may cause, and we are committed to making our popular Muscle Power® drink available again to our customers and the public as soon as possible.”
Source: BevNET.com Staff

Last week there was a discussion here regarding Muscle Power and Muscle Milk. In my initial post I commented:

VPX also takes a risky move in their package design. The fonts and the packaging itself look very, very similar to Muscle Milk. I understand there are only so many packages that can be used for drinks but the design and look of it has free reign. One can only assume this is an attempt to cause confusion for the consumer. The ad shows the two products side by side and furthers my point.

A Federal Court heard more evidence in a lawsuit filed by CytoSport (makers of Muscle Milk) against VPX (makers of Muscle Power) regarding this very issue. The following press release has been issued by Cytosport which summarizes the court’s findings. If you’d like to read the entire court document, click here (PDF).

CytoSport Secures Preliminary Court-Ordered Injunction of Muscle Power Due to Infringement of Muscle Milk® Trademark
On Wednesday, May 6th in Sacramento, CA, a Federal Court issued an order requiring Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (VPX) to immediately remove Muscle Power from the marketplace after concluding that the product infringes on CytoSport’s trademark rights of Muscle Milk®.

This preliminary injunction was prompted after CytoSport filed a lawsuit against VPX, stating that Muscle Power’s packaging, or “trade dress,” was deceptively similar to Muscle Milk®’s packaging.  In its decision, the court stated that “VPX has chosen an identical font, in an identical color, on an identically shaped package, and placed the mark on the package in an identical location.”  The court also stated that “when the marks are viewed as a whole with each product’s respective trade dress, the court has no difficulty concluding that the two marks are overwhelmingly similar.”

Upon concluding that VPX has violated CytoSport’s trademark rights, the court also stated that “VPX could have easily used a trade dress more consistent with its other RTD products, e.g. Redline, Black Pearl and Pump 7.”  Given that the injunction is preliminary in nature, the lawsuit will continue while the injunction is in place.

“We are gratified by the court’s ruling and will continue to vigorously enforce our rights to protect our brand, our marketing partners, and our consumers against confusion in the marketplace,” says Greg Pickett, Co-Founder /CEO of CytoSport.

About CytoSport
CytoSport, the maker of Muscle Milk®, is among the largest sport nutrition protein beverage companies in the U.S. and offers a complete line of protein-enhanced powders, shakes and bars. Muscle Milk® was recently named the 2008 Ready-to-Drink Beverage of the Year by bodybuilding.com, Best Functional Beverage and Beverage of the Year by BevNet and 2009 Company of the Year by Beverage Forum presented by Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World.  For more information on Muscle Milk or additional CytoSport products, visit: www.cytosport.com.

Check out the comprehensive list of peanut products being recalled because of the Peanut Corporation of America. There is a growing list of bars and snacks that many people in the fitness industry use on a daily basis. The complete list is available here.

The maker of the popular Detour Bars has filed for bankruptcy due to the tainted peanut recall by its supplier.

Reuters reports:
Forward Foods, which makes high protein, snack and meal replacement bars primarily under the Detour name, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware, saying that a significant amount of its inventory must be condemned.

The company had voluntarily recalled all Detour bars that contained roasted peanuts from Peanut Corp on Jan. 29 on worries the supplier had distributed peanut products contaminated by salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children and the elderly.

Sales of Detour products containing peanut product from Peanut Corp made up about 75 percent of Forward Foods’ protein bar sales, the company said in documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

— Read the full story here.

Las Vegas, NV – December 22, 2008 — In these tough economic times, it is hard for businesses to find extra funds to sponsor charities, but LG SCIENCES LLC, maker of sports supplements, is keeping its commitment to give to those in need. This company currently sponsors over 50 children in the U.S.A and abroad with food, shelter and clothing and recently helped to provide Christmas toys to at risk kids in the struggling economy.

Despite the soft economy, LG Sciences LLC has pledged to add more children in need to the company’s roster. “Now more than ever it is important to give to the needy. Often, we are shown images of starving kids in other countries, but we are surprised to see that children here, in the U.S. and in Michigan are not properly nourished nor schooled. This is where we are going to focus our efforts this Christmas season,” mentioned Justin Bozung, General Manager for LG Sciences. “Almost daily we receive letters, cards and pictures from our sponsored kids thanking LG Sciences for giving them hope and long-lasting changes in their lives. These pictures & letters adorn our bulletin board so that our employees & guests can share the touching letters & beautiful photos of our families. I hope they know that our hearts go out to them.” commented Bozung. Although the company had a goal to sponsor 100 kids by the end of 2008, recent business setbacks have impacted the ability to give as much as projected, although the company still expects to grow its charitable donations by at least ten percent.

Recent reports suggest that over 50% of Americans are giving less in 2008 than they did in 2007. ” LG SCIENCES LLC added more sponsored children in 2008 and will continue to be adding to the charity in December.” How did they do it? “Our shareholders elected to take less compensation this year than previous years and to give a larger percentage to these endeavors.” One important part of giving is making sure that the money actually goes to the kids, and there are many research sites that track how charitable organizations use the money. Bozung warns “Look for ones with an A- rating or higher, ensuring that at least 80% of the pledged money goes to the actual beneficiaries. We are very judicious in our giving because we want the majority of the money to go to the children.” Many charitable ratings organizations can be found on the Internet that give and exact breakdown of expenditures.