The trouble with Ostarine: Jimmy Wallhead’s
16th March 2018
Features
The ‘natural’ substance banning athletes from sport
Despite being marketed as “natural”, Higenamine is one of the leading causes of positive doping tests in Australia. Be aware, higenamine and other banned substances have been found in a number of supplements and not all of those products have those banned substances listed on the ingredients label.
If detected in an athlete’s sample, the athlete can face an up to four-year ban from sport. Higenamine is found in many popular supplements and can also be called:
• Norcoclaurine
• Demethylcoclaurine
• Aconite
• Annona squamosal
• Nandina domestica
• Tinospora crispa
Higenamine, a S3 class Beta-2 Agonist, allows lungs to take in more oxygen and is prohibited in- and out-of-competition. However, as a cardiotonic, higenamine can increase heart rate, putting an athlete at an increased risk of heart problems such as palpitations and irregular heartbeat.
ASADA warns the consumer has no way of determining how much higenamine is in a supplement even if it is on the label as the levels vary widely. ASADA further warns that manufacturers’ ingredients vary from product to product, and flavour to flavour.
ASADA does not approve or endorse any supplements. “We have not and will not approve or endorse supplements, they pose too much of a risk to an athlete’s health and career,” says ASADA CEO David Sharpe. ASADA recommends you check all your substances before you take them on the ASADA Clean Sport app. For more information visit: ASADA tech.
Note, the following supplements are labelled as containing Higenamine.
| Name | Flavour | S3 |
| The one | Green Apple | Higenamine |
| Blaze | Pineapple Splash | Higenamine |
| End of Days | Lemon Lime | Higenamine |
| The Guerrilla Chemist | Guerrilla Juice | Higenamine |
| BZRK | Peach | Higenamine |
| Loco | Higenamine | |
| Spazmatic | Watermelon Taffy | Higenamine |
| Cobra 6 Extreme | Kiwi Strawberry | Higenamine |
| Viper X | Kiwi Strawberry | Higenamine |
| Crack3D-U4X | Berry Lemonade | Higenamine |
| Albutarex v2 | Berry Colada | Higenamine |
| Awaken | Higenamine | |
| Thermoshred | Pineapple Mango | Higenamine |
| Ripped Thermogenic | Mixed Berry | Higenamine |
| Staunch | Peach Mango | Higenamine |
| Dust | Cotton Candy | Nelumbo Necifera |
• This media release was published by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) on 29 October 2019. Click here for the original.
