FDA recalls. Prop 65 warnings. Proprietary blends hiding your doses. We document what supplement brands don’t want you to see — independently, with zero affiliate links on this page.
Each category represents a different level and type of consumer risk, from FDA enforcement actions to transparency problems.
Products where the FDA took formal regulatory action due to adulteration, undisclosed drug ingredients, or direct safety incidents. The most serious category — some entries linked to deaths, hospitalisations, or criminal prosecution.
California Proposition 65 requires warnings when products expose consumers to chemicals listed as carcinogens or reproductive toxins above thresholds. Common in plant proteins and herbal supplements due to heavy metals naturally present in agricultural soil.
Products listing multiple active ingredients under a single combined weight without individual doses. Makes it impossible to verify clinical efficacy, prevents safety assessment for sensitive individuals, and enables "label dressing" with underdosed actives.
Formal regulatory actions by the FDA — recalls, seizures, warning letters, or criminal prosecution. Sorted by risk severity.
| Product | Risk | Category | Reason for Action | FDA Action | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OxyElite Pro (Original)USPlabs | Critical | Weight Loss | 97 liver illness cases, 3 deaths, 47 hospitalisations. FDA analysis found unlisted DMAA and aegeline — an unapproved stimulant. | Voluntary recall + criminal charges filed | 2013 |
| Jack3d (Original Formula)USPlabs | Critical | Pre-Workout | DMAA linked to hemorrhagic stroke and cardiac arrest. Multiple deaths including military personnel. | Warning letters + U.S. Marshals product seizure | 2012 |
| Hydroxycut (Original Formula)Iovate Health Sciences | Critical | Weight Loss | 23 reports of serious liver injury, 1 death, 1 liver transplant. Was North America's best-selling weight loss supplement at time of recall. | Voluntary recall of all Hydroxycut products (May 2009) | 2009 |
| Reumofan PlusRiger Naturals | Critical | Joint / Pain | FDA lab found 3 undisclosed prescription drugs: dexamethasone (corticosteroid), diclofenac sodium (NSAID), methocarbamol (muscle relaxant). Sold as a "natural" supplement. | Mandatory recall — drug masquerading as supplement | 2013 |
| Craze Pre-WorkoutDriven Sports | Critical | Pre-Workout | NSF and peer-reviewed research confirmed N,α-DEPEA — a methamphetamine structural analogue. Won supplement industry awards before discovery. | FDA warning letters + voluntary discontinuation | 2013 |
| Healthy Life Chemistry B-50Purity First Health Products | Critical | B-Vitamins | Sold as a B-vitamin complex. FDA testing found methasterone and dimethazine — both anabolic steroids. 29 adverse events including liver injury. Customers had no idea. | Voluntary recall + FDA consumer alert | 2013 |
| Pai You Guo Slim CapsulesMultiple importers | Critical | Weight Loss | Multiple products tested positive for sibutramine — a withdrawn prescription drug removed from U.S. market in 2010 due to cardiovascular risk (heart attack, stroke). | Import alert + multiple recalls across importers | 2010 |
| Total Body Formula / Mega FormulaTotal Body Formula LLC | High | Multi-Mineral | Liquid supplement contained selenium at 200× the labeled concentration. 200+ adverse events in multiple states: hair loss, nail changes, fatigue, nausea, joint pain. | Voluntary recall after multi-state investigation | 2008 |
| VERSA-1MHP | High | Testosterone | Marketed as a natural testosterone booster but contained an undisclosed synthetic testosterone precursor not listed on the label. | Voluntary recall (2015) | 2015 |
| Mela Luna Sleep AidMultiple brands | Moderate | Sleep | Independent testing found melatonin at up to 10× the label claim, qualifying products as unregistered drugs. Particular risk for children. | FDA warning letters to multiple manufacturers | 2019 |
Source: FDA.gov Recalls Database · FDA Ingredient Advisory List · Published medical case reports (PubMed)
Supplements flagged for heavy metal contamination above California’s warning thresholds. Context matters — read the notes before drawing conclusions about risk.
| Product | Risk | Category | Contaminants | Context & Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lipo-6 Black Ultra ConcentrateNutrex Research | High | Weight Loss | LeadStimulant analogues | Prop 65 notice filed + multiple consumer safety complaints over stimulant content. Class action history. Multiple compounding concerns on one product. | 2016 |
| Raw Organic Protein (Chocolate)Garden of Life | Moderate | Protein Powder | Lead | Consumer Reports 2018 heavy metals investigation. Class action settled 2019. Lead above CA threshold in tested batches. Common issue across chocolate plant proteins. | 2018 |
| Organic Protein (Chocolate Fudge)Orgain | Moderate | Protein Powder | Lead | Consumer Reports 2018. Chocolate plant proteins are higher risk — cocoa processing concentrates naturally occurring lead. Level above CA threshold. | 2018 |
| Sport Performance Protein (Vanilla)Vega | Moderate | Protein Powder | LeadCadmium | Consumer Reports 2018. Multiple contaminants above CA safe harbor levels. Pea protein is a known cadmium accumulator from soil uptake during crop growth. | 2018 |
| Source of Life Gold MultiNature’s Plus | Moderate | Multi-Vitamin | Lead | Prop 65 warning notice filed 2016. Naturally occurring lead from botanical ingredients. Above CA warning threshold requiring disclosure. | 2016 |
| Turmeric Supreme (Extra Strength)Gaia Herbs | Low | Herbal | Lead (trace) | Requires Prop 65 label in CA. Trace levels from soil — industry-wide issue in turmeric. Risk considered low at recommended serving sizes by independent toxicologists. | 2019 |
| Calcium Citrate 1000mgNOW Foods | Low | Minerals | Lead (trace) | Prop 65 notice filed 2017. Naturally occurring lead common in calcium mineral supplements. NOW Foods is a well-regarded transparent brand — this reflects an industry-wide soil contamination issue, not a manufacturing failure. | 2017 |
| MCT Oil PowderZhou Nutrition | Low | MCT / Fat | Lead (trace) | Prop 65 litigation filed California 2020. Trace lead levels near warning threshold. Company disputes significance. Risk at normal serving sizes considered low. | 2020 |
Source: OEHHA Prop 65 Warning Notices · Consumer Reports 2018 Heavy Metals Investigation · Court records
Products bundling key actives into a single combined weight — making it impossible to verify effective or safe individual doses.
| Product | Risk | Category | Blend & Concern | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Pre-Workout (Older Versions)MusclePharm | Moderate | Pre-Workout | Endurance & Recovery Matrix FTC and class action over label accuracy — proprietary blends obscured actual creatine, beta-alanine, and caffeine amounts. Consumers could not verify doses they were paying for. |
FTC settlement 2014 — $7M paid. Later versions reformulated with individual dose disclosure. |
| TestosynXpi Supplements | Moderate | Testosterone | Testosyn Proprietary Blend Testosterone herb blend with completely undisclosed individual doses. Impossible to assess whether any ingredient reaches a clinically relevant amount or evaluate hormone interaction risk. |
No independent third-party testing results publicly available. Consult a doctor before use. |
| Score! XXXForce Factor | Moderate | Pre-Workout | Nitric Oxide Ignition Complex Multiple layered proprietary blends stacked in one product. Total stimulant load is mathematically unverifiable. Caffeine-sensitive users cannot determine actual exposure per serving. |
Stimulant-sensitive individuals should avoid any product with stacked undisclosed stimulant blends. |
| NO-Xplode (Earlier Versions)BSN | Moderate | Pre-Workout | Myogenic Matrix / N.O. Alpha Fusion Two layered proprietary blends made it impossible to verify creatine, beta-alanine, or caffeine amounts. Millions of users had no insight into actual active ingredient doses. |
Reformulated in later versions with individual dose disclosure. Older stock may still circulate. |
| C4 Original (Legacy Formula)Cellucor | Low | Pre-Workout | Explosive Energy Blend Pre-2020 formula used a proprietary stimulant blend with unspecified caffeine. Users with caffeine sensitivity or cardiac conditions could not calculate their stimulant intake. |
Current C4 clearly discloses 150–200mg caffeine. Legacy formula risk is diminishing. |
| ABE (All Black Everything)Applied Nutrition | Low | Pre-Workout | All Black Everything Blend Stimulant matrix amounts undisclosed in some market versions. Popular in UK/EU markets where labeling regulations differ from the US. Caffeine-sensitive consumers cannot determine actual exposure. |
Avoid any product with undisclosed stimulant amounts if you have caffeine sensitivity or heart conditions. |
| Mega Men Sport MultiGNC | Low | Multi-Vitamin | Sport Blend / Superfood Blend Several ingredient blends disclosed only as combined weights. Individual inclusions cannot be evaluated for efficacy. Lower risk than stimulant blends — primarily an efficacy concern. |
Common industry practice for multi-vitamins. Safety risk low; efficacy claims unverifiable. |
| Animal PakUniversal Nutrition | Low | Multi / Stack | Performance Complex (4,500mg total) Total amino acid complex weight disclosed but individual amino acid amounts are not. Cannot verify whether any single amino acid reaches a threshold needed for its claimed benefit. |
Established brand. Safety risk low. Primary issue is inability to independently verify efficacy claims. |
Source: FTC enforcement actions · Published clinical dosing literature · NSF/Informed Sport testing data · Consumer advocacy organisations
Practical steps before you order — independent of this database.
NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, USP Verified, and BSCG conduct independent lab verification. These seals mean what’s on the label is actually in the bottle at the stated dose.
Any product hiding stimulant doses in a proprietary blend is an immediate red flag. You have no way to calculate your actual caffeine or stimulant exposure per serving.
Before buying any unfamiliar brand, search the FDA FAERS database and the FDA recalls database for reported adverse events.
This phrase is largely unregulated on supplement labels. Always ask: proven at what dose? Many products include an ingredient at a fraction of the dose used in the cited study.
Essential if you take any prescription medications. Many supplements interact with drugs in ways most consumers are unaware of — from warfarin to SSRIs and statins.
If a supplement causes harm, report it to the FDA via MedWatch. Every report contributes to the data that triggers investigations and protects others.