The US’s Food and Drug Administration has seized dietary supplements branded Nature’s Treat Energy Plus No1, a dietary supplement that contains ephedra, a herb linked to increased liklihood of heart attack and stroke.

“FDA will do all we can to protect Americans from potentially dangerous dietary supplements,” said Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, Acting FDA Commissioner. “We will continue to warn consumers to avoid consumption of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids.”

Ephedrine alkaloids are adrenaline-like stimulants that can have potentially dangerous effects on the heart. Recent studies have confirmed that ephedrine alkaloids raise blood pressure and otherwise stress the circulatory system, effects that are linked to adverse health effects like heart attacks and strokes.

Based on this and other evidence in the scientific literature, FDA issued a rule in 2004 declaring that dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury. According to the product’s label, the recommended daily dose of Energy Plus No 1 contains 46.8 mg of ephedrine alkaloids.The distributors are Nature’s Treat, Inc., Gainesville, Texas and ACD Distributing, LLC, of Eugene, Oregon.

US Marshals seized 2634 bottles (120 capsules per bottle) of Nature’s Treat Energy Plus No1 (lot numbers 205108 and 205109) from Nature’s Treat, Inc., Gainesville, Texas. Also seized were 363 bottles of the same lot numbers from ACD Distributing. The seized products have a total retail value of approximately $150,000.