--- ---  # Weight Loss Supplements Contain Amphetamine-Like Substance, Research Finds by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Apr 8, 2015 6:17 PM UTC  Various pills lying on a white surface Various pills lying on a white surfaceGetty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Apr 8, 2015 6:17 PM UTC Several supplements for weight loss or fitness contain ingredients that are similar to the stimulant amphetamine, but have not been tested for safety in humans, [according to new research](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dta.1793/abstract). The chemical BMPEA, labeled as _Acacia rigidula,_ was first discovered in a handful of dietary supplements analyzed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013, [the New York Times reports](http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/study-warns-of-diet-supplement-dangers-kept-quiet-by-f-d-a/). The names of the specific supplements were not released by the FDA, but in a new study published in the journal _Drug Testing and Analysis_, a team of researchers have found that BMPEA has not been removed, and is still present in several currently on the market. “Consumers of _Acacia rigidula_ supplements may be exposed to pharmacological dosages of an amphetamine isomer that lacks evidence of safety in humans,” [the study authors write](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dta.1793/abstract). “The FDA should immediately warn consumers about BMPEA and take aggressive enforcement action to eliminate BMPEA in dietary supplements.” [_Read more at the New York Times._](http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/study-warns-of-diet-supplement-dangers-kept-quiet-by-f-d-a/) Supplements Contain Ingredients With Amphetamine Effects, Study Says ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3814050/supplements-amphetamine-effects/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3814050/supplements-amphetamine-effects/"},"headline":"Weight Loss Supplements Contain Amphetamine-Like Substance, Research Finds","datePublished":"2015-04-08T18:17:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T06:14:29.888Z","description":"Many supplements contain a potentially dangerous ingredient, a new study says","url":"https://time.com/3814050/supplements-amphetamine-effects/","keywords":["Research","study","Supplements"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad86458fefc87326/6987ea2d524fc00402df01ac/supp.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad86458fefc87326/6987ea2d524fc00402df01ac/supp.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"483106863","caption":"483106863","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3814050/supplements-amphetamine-effects/","name":"Weight Loss Supplements Contain Amphetamine-Like Substance, Research Finds"}}]}] ```