Craze Supplement: Meth-Like Compound Found in Craze Supplement

The Craze supplement was discovered to have traces of a meth-like compound, according to new research published this week. Craze is a popular pre-workout powder that is designed to help people lose weight.

The chemical, N,alpha-diethylphenylethylamine, has a similar structure to methamphetamine. The drug is described as a phenylethylamine but is less powerful than meth but greater than ephedrine, reported Medical Express, citing recent study.

“In recent years banned and untested drugs have been found in hundreds of dietary supplements. We began our study of Craze after several athletes failed urine drug tests because of a new methamphetamine analog,” said lead author Dr. Pieter Cohen, of Harvard Medical School, according to the publication.

N,alpha-diethylphenylethylamine, or N,a- DEPEA, hast not been tested for human consumption. It was found in three samples of Craze.

“We identified a potentially dangerous designer drug in three separate samples of this widely available dietary supplement,” added Cohen. “The tests revealed quantities of N,a-DEPEA of over 20mg per serving, which strongly suggests that this is not an accidental contamination from the manufacturing process.”

According to its website, Craze says that it “helps you train BEYOND YOUR LIMITS. Imagine seemingly endless energy.” The drug lists 10 chemicals including creatine monohydrate, but it doesn’t list N,a- DEPEA.

“What’s particularly alarming about finding a completely new drug, in this case a close cousin of methamphetamine, is that we have no idea how it will affect the body,” Cohen told Consumer Reports. “Will it be addictive? Will it stimulate the heart and increase the risk of heart attacks?”

Marc Ullman, an attorney with Driven Sports--which produces Craze--declined to comment on the findings.

“We have previously provided USA Today with a plethora of data from a DEA Certified Lab indicating the absence of any amphetamine-like compound in Craze,” Ullman told USA Today. “In light of USA Today’s decision to ignore the data we have provided, we respectfully decline to comment for your story.”