#1

Total Body Nutrition, TBN Labs, and Loud Muscle Science Banned from Selling Adulterated and Misbranded Dietary Supplements

On December 11, 2023, Total Body Nutrition LLC, TBN Labs LLC, and Loud Muscle Science LLC, as well as the companies’ owner, Mohammed Islam, were prohibited by federal court from manufacturing and distributing adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements.

The permanent injunction was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. According to a complaint filed at the request of the FDA, Islam and the companies violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by manufacturing and distributing dietary supplements without establishing product specifications for finished batches, without testing the finished batches to verify that they met product specifications, and without testing dietary ingredients used in supplements to verify their identity. The companies were previously warned for manufacturing violations found during facility inspection in 2017, and for undeclared stimulant drugs in products in 2016 and 2019. In 2022, Loud Muscle issued a recall of its sexual enhancement products, which were found to contain undeclared prescription drugs in 2022.

“Dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors have an important responsibility to ensure product quality and safety,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton stated in a news release issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about the settlement. “The Justice Department will continue to work closely with the FDA and take action against manufacturers and distributors who fail to abide by laws designed to protect public health.”

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#2

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Use Dr. Ergin’s SugarMD Advanced Glucose Support, Found to Contain Prescription Drugs

On November 3, 2023, the FDA warned consumers not to purchase or use Dr. Ergin’s SugarMD Advanced Glucose Support products after FDA laboratory analysis found the supplement to contain glyburide and metformin.

Glyburide and metformin are prescription drugs used to lower blood sugar and treat type 2 diabetes and these products in combination with certain medications can cause unsafe drops in blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia, or lactic acidosis. Consumers should immediately stop using these products and seek medical attention, especially if they are currently being treated with diabetes drugs, have chronic kidney disease, or if they have symptoms of fatigue, body aches, abdominal pain, excessive hunger, profuse sweating, or numbness of the extremities.

Dr. Ergin’s SugarMD Advanced Glucose Support products are promoted for blood glucose management and sold on the company website, and possibly in some retail stores.

The FDA has advised that anyone who has taken these products should consult with their health care professionals to safely discontinue use.

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#3

Counterfeit Pure Encapsulations and GutConnect 365 Sold on Amazon

On September 26, 2023, a man from New Jersey was arrested for selling fake versions of Pure Encapsulations L-Glutamine and Nature MD’s GutConnect 365 on Amazon. According to Evesham, NJ police, Brad Synder of Evesham, NJ filled jars with ingredients such as cinnamon and sugar, heat-sealed the jars, and created labels to resemble those of the authentic product brands. Synder sold the products on his Amazon stores, APEXX and MiracleTonics, which he had been operating since November, 2021. It is alleged that he has defrauded consumers of more than $130,000 selling the counterfeit products.

An investigation into the counterfeit products was initiated after Amazon was notified of customer complaints about the quality of the products and contacted local authorities. Synder was taken into custody after an extensive investigation by the Evesham Township Police Department and faces multiple charges, including counterfeiting, theft by deception, and computer criminal activity.

GutConnect 365 is manufactured and sold by NatureMD (formerly United Naturals). It contains L-glutamine, quercetin, licorice root extract, and aloe vera leaf extract, and other ingredients promoted to help “repair, soothe, and strengthen” the lining of the gut. According to a NatureMD representative, the company does not sell bulk orders and has no authorized distributors or third-party sellers, and consumers should purchase the product directly through its website https://naturemd.com/.

ConsumerLab has reached out to Nestle Health Science, which owns Pure Encapsulations, for details about its Amazon store and its policies on third-party sellers, and will report this information when it becomes available.

The sale of counterfeit supplements on Amazon has received increasing scrutiny. In 2023 alone, ConsumerLab has reported on counterfeits of several popular brands discovered to be sold on Amazon, including Bausch + Lomb’s, Now Foods, and Fungi Perfecti’s Host Defense.

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#4

Tells you who is in control/attempt to control the supplement industry

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#5

“Follow the money” always works.

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#6

2021

2023

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#7

Somebody posted Rhonda Patrick’s stack and she appeared to use all Pure Encapsulations. This is my only problem with her, it seems like she’s for sale.