Bodybuilders beware of DNP

Finland's National Food Agency is testing capsules being sold on the Internet for bodybuilders found to contain dangerous 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP).

The capsules are intended to burn fat but DNP poses a serious health risk, since it severely disturbs the body's energy production at the cellular level, according to the agency. A Finnish man has ended up in intensive care after taking DNP capsules according to instructions, it added. The patient had ordered the capsules over the Internet from www.ironbrand.co.uk in Great Britain.

The website indicated that the capsules contained 200 milligrams of DNP. However DNP is not classified as a drug but it is included in a list of harmful substances which is kept by the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. It has been used mainly as a pesticide and in purifying wastewater.

The National Food Agency is having the capsules tested and said it will contact officials in Great Britain and pass on information to other EU countries through the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).

Finnish Customs previously confiscated and analysed the contents of a package from Britain which was marked 'Tesco' and contained yellow capsules in self-seal bags. The Finnish Customs Laboratory found 380 milligrams of DNP in each capsule. If the substance is packed in capsules, DNP levels can apparently vary considerably. This means that taking DNP can be quite dangerous even according to the recommended dose.

Foods containing DNP are not imported to Finland and are not available in shops selling natural products or groceries in Finland, according to the agency. It is urging consumers to be cautious about products sold over the Internet or through the mail and to avoid products which do not have proper labels and product descriptions.