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Death of London Marathon runner may have been partially caused by dietary supplement

Death of London Marathon runner may have been partially caused by dietary supplement

LONDON - A coroner says a London Marathon runner whose death touched hearts globally and inspired more than $1 million in donations had taken a dietary supplement which may have contributed to her heart failure.

Claire Squires collapsed near Buckingham Palace last April near the end of the marathon, which she was running to raise money for an organization that helps prevent suicides.

At an inquest Wednesday, boyfriend Simon van Herrewege said the 30-year-old runner's water bottle included a scoop of the supplement "Jack3D," which contains a stimulant called DMAA or dimethylamylamine.

Coroner Dr. Philip Barlow says DMAA "on the balance of probabilities, in combination with extreme physical exertion, caused acute cardiac failure, which resulted in her death."

The substance was bought legally online. It is on the list of substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.