title: [Dietary supplements--surprise pills?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sales of herbal dietary supplements have increased dramatically. A patient case drew our attention to the problem of incomplete declaration of content.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two dietary supplements which the manufacturers claim to be natural, extremely fat-burning and energizing were analysed, as were urine and serum samples from persons taking these supplements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surprisingly, the herbal dietary supplements contained drugs. Diazepam, clonazepam, ephedrine and metabolites were found when analyzing serum samples after intake of the dietary supplement Thermo-X 650, ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine after intake of the Purple Burn supplement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of herbal dietary supplement can have serious consequences, for instance through interactions with drug therapy. Consumers must be given sufficient product information for safe use.
authors.affiliation: Psykofarmakologisk avdeling, Diakonhjemmet Sykehus, Postboks 85 Vinderen, 0319 Oslo.
authors.forename: Magnhild
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hendset
authors.forename: Niclas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lunder
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Refsum
authors.forename: Thor Kristian
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Island
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003975:Diazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004809:Ephedrine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D002998:Clonazepam; D004809:Ephedrine; D003975:Diazepam