Bodybuilding products manufactured by American Cellular Laboratories that are marketed as containing steroids or steroid-like substances

Foreign Product Alert
2009-199
December 10, 2009
For immediate release

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use the following products specified below due to concerns about possible side-effects. More info

Source of Alert

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Product Names

Bodybuilding products manufactured by American Cellular Laboratories that are marketed as containing steroids or steroid-like substances. These products include:

• TREN-Xtreme (pictured below)
• MASS Xtreme (pictured below)
• ESTRO Xtreme
• AH-89-Xtreme
• HMG Xtreme
• MMA-3 Xtreme
• VNS-9 Xtreme
• TT-40-Xtreme

Manufacturer / Place of Origin

American Cellular Labs, Pacifica, California, USA

Product Description

These products are promoted as dietary supplements used for bodybuilding and increasing muscle mass.

TREN-Xtreme and MASS-Xtreme are two examples of bodybuilding products manufactured by American Cellular Labs:

Reason for Warning

The FDA warned consumers to stop using bodybuilding products manufactured by American Cellular Labs after they were found to contain unauthorized synthetic steroids. Furthermore, the FDA warned consumers to stop using all bodybuilding products that are marketed as containing steroids or steroid-like substances, as these products may contain unauthorized substances and may cause serious health effects.

The FDA has received reports of serious adverse events, including liver injury, associated with the use of these types of products. It recommends that consumers talk with their health care professional about any bodybuilding supplements they are taking or planning to take, particularly if they are uncertain about a product's ingredients.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances similar to the male sex hormone testosterone. They are used for the treatment of medical conditions such as hormonal problems and cancer. In Canada, anabolic steroids are controlled substances and are therefore only legally available by prescription. They should only be taken under the supervision of a health care practitioner.

Possible Side-Effects

Side-effects associated with anabolic steroids include heart attacks, strokes, liver damage, anxiety, irritability, aggression, and depression. Side-effects also include acne, voice deepening and growth of body hair in women, breast growth and shrinking of testicles in men and short stature in children.

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Media Enquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983

For more details on these Foreign Product Alerts, please visit the Health Canada Web site.

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These products are not authorized for sale in Canada and have not been found in the Canadian marketplace, but it is possible they may have been brought into the country by travellers or purchased over the Internet.

Canadians who have this product are advised not to use it, and should consult with a health care professional if they have concerns about their health related to the use of this product.

Drugs and natural health products that are authorized for sale in Canada will have either an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label. These numbers indicate that the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality.

Health Canada advises Canadians to contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if they find the products listed above in the Canadian marketplace.

For more information about the information contained in this advisory, please contact Health Canada's public inquiries line at (613) 957-2991 or toll-free at 1-866-225-0709.

As of the date of this posting, no adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of this product have been reported in Canada.