March 1st 2004 - Pro Hormones to be banned by the FDA?

I just returned from my local GNC that carries every Biotest product including MAG-10, and the manager and friend of mine inforned me that as of March 1, 2004 all prohormones are banned for over the couter sale by the FDA. He showed me a list from GNC corporate that included just about every product and prohormone that I had heard of except Tribex. I’m little sad…

pardon me im slow some times but, was this a banning for all over the counter sales of prohormones any where from the FDA or is this something from GNC for there stores only

Chirs Shugart…can you tell us what you know on this?

Wow! seems like we would have heard more about this especially on this web-site. Anyone else heard anything like this?

Are you sure it was not a new GNC policy? What does T-Mag / Biotest have to say? Maybe There buy 2 get 1 free is a way to sell off their supply? Hope its not true.

I haven’t seen the press release on this one yet. Maybe GNC is removing the products in anticipation of a ban?

When did he get the letter? I want to see if the GNCs around here got the same thing…I really hope it’s a mistake on GNCs part or I’m gonna have to stock up now and hope the stuff lasts.

GNC started pulling prohormones a few weeks ago. My local GNC’s are pissed because MAG-10 was selling so well (they even wear MAG-10 shirts on the weekends as their uniform.) But as far as I know, this is only a GNC policy. They did the same with ephedra a few months before it was officially banned.

The day WILL come however when all prohormones are banned, just like ephedra. Like I wrote in Reader Mail this week, it is not a marketing ploy when we say to stock up now if you like MAG-10.

Chris,

Unfortunately, I think you are on the right page for this issue.

Any chance this will force the industry to innovate and to develop alteranative, yet superior (hard to believe) products than Mag 10.

For analogy, use ephedra. Biotest developed Hot Rox - a better substitute.

Will it force innovation or will it eliminate this segment of the market entirely?

Atreides - You’re right. Many times actions like this only cause the industry to get off its butt and develop cool new products. After all, not many bothered coming up with new fat loss products when variations of good ol’ ECA existed. Now they’re scrambling, with most just adding more caffeine or some worthless ingredient to replace the ephedrine. Smart consumers are catching on quick too.

Tim Patterson and Biotest have never done this. They’re always two steps ahead of anyone else, hence HOT-ROX became a best seller even before ephedra was officially yanked.

Now, will the better supplement companies come up with something that works as well as MAG-10? It’s going to be tough, no kidding.

But, maybe they can come up with something that works ALMOST as well. And maybe that something will not have to be cycled, so even though it’s not quite as potent as MAG-10, it’ll be very powerful because you can take it for longer periods of time with fewer risks of side effects. And maybe Timmy P. and the Biotest Boys are working on things like that right now…

Yeah, I tease like a Catholic school girl with impure thoughts.

Anyway, this brings up some very cool discussion. Reminds me of all the successful businesses that were started by guys who lost their previous jobs. Out of desperation they formed new companies and ended up 100 times as successful. If they had never been canned from their 9 to 5 jobs, they’d have never tried out their business ideas.

Supplements work the same way. If one gets kiboshed, we may just come up with something better. Of course, MAG-10 is still around for now, so let’s try not to use the past tense just yet!

I checked the supplement federation site and there was no info on this there either. Must be a GNC thing only, at least for now.

While were on the subject of stocking up on Mag 10…I’ve never used it and was wondering how long can I store Mag 10 without using it? How long before it becomes expired?

Thanks.

aaronm,

It’s been said that if stored in the refrigerator it will keep indefinitely.

My long-term concern re: the pro-hormone ban is that, if it cuts out a significant source of Biotest/TMag’s operating income, this site might not survive. I don’t know what percentage of Biotest’s income comes from each supplement (a breakdown would be interesting); I hope that sales of the non-threatened supps can make up for the loss of revenue.