The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers today to stop using body-building products that claim to contain steroid-like ingredients, but that may actually contain synthetic steroids. The FDA has received reports of serious adverse events associated with use of these products, including cases of serious liver injury, stroke, kidney failure, and pulmonary embolism. The products marketed as supplements and as an alternative to steroids, are sold both online and in retail stores and include "TREN-Xtreme," "MASS Xtreme," "ESTRO Xtreme," "AH-89-Xtreme," "HMG Xtreme," "MMA-3 Xtreme," "VNS-9 Xtreme," and "TT-40-Xtreme."

In a warning letter to the manufacturer, American Cellular Laboratories, Inc., the FDA claims that the company violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by marketing these products as dietary supplements when they are actually misbranded and unapproved drugs that have not been reviewed by the agency for safety and effectiveness.

This latest action by the FDA comes after a string of recent supplement recalls, including products marketed for weight loss, improved erections, and body-building. Last year, we reported on risky dietary supplements that contain hazardous ingredients linked to serious adverse events. Some ingredients on our high-risk list include androstenedione and bitter orange, found in supplements used to boost athletic performance.