Two athletes died: ANSES warns about the consumption of food supplements for bodybuilding

Musculation : après 2 décès, l’Anses alerte sur la consommation de protéines

Build muscle, burn fat… Anses warns of the risks associated with the consumption of protein-enriched food supplements by athletes. Two deaths have already been recorded.

Food supplements and foods enriched with proteins, amino acids or plant extracts, which are supposed to build muscle mass or reduce fat mass, are enjoying increasing popularity. Initially prized by bodybuilders, they are now appealing to a wider audience.

Two deaths and four people with vital prognoses

But their consumption is not without danger. The National Health Security Agency (ANSES) is once again sounding the alarm. Because the figures are alarming: between 2016 and February 2024, the Agency recorded 154 cases of adverse effects linked to these products, including 18 considered very serious. Even more worrying, two deaths were reported and four people's lives were threatened.

Among the most common side effects, we find cardiovascular disorders ranging from simple tachycardia to cardiac arrest. Serious neurological symptoms, such as stroke, have also been reported.

Monitor EN 17444:2021

L’Anses particularly warns against the presence of prohibited substances in certain supplements, such as anabolic steroids, clenbuterol and ephedrine. These ingredients, in addition to being dangerous for health, can lead to positive doping controls.

Faced with these risks, the agency recommends that athletes remain vigilant regarding the composition of the products consumed and favor those that comply with European standard EN17444:2021.