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Illegal body-building supplement linked to deaths of several men

An illegal body building supplement linked to the death of several young men is sky-rocketing in popularity.

The number of people testing positive to the speed-like drug has doubled, with many sourcing it online to get past an Australian ban.

Known as DMAA, the drug is a a powerful pre-workout supplement designed to boost your training but toxicologists say its ability to accelerate your heart rate is causing cardiac arrests.

"We're seeing relatively young, fit, healthy men dying of heart attacks associated with this drug so it is very dangerous," toxicologist Andrew Leibie said.

The drug has been linked to the death of several young men. Source: 7 News
The drug has been linked to the death of several young men. Source: 7 News

"The drug itself is fairly toxic and has been associated with deaths in Australia and more recently in New Zealand."

A Kiwi man died during a personal training session in 2009. The coroner ruled the deadly supplement was to blame. But despite a ban in Australia, its use is increasing across Australia.

The drug is speed-like and helps as a pre-workout. Source: 7 News
The drug is speed-like and helps as a pre-workout. Source: 7 News

"We're seeing more and more of it in our workplace testing samples, in fact we had a doubling nationally last year," Mr Leibie said.

A quick search for DDMA on the internet results in dozens of sites willing to ship to Australia.

"Because it's not illegal in every country," Mr Leibie said.

Some manufacturers are even deliberately now not putting the fact that it contains DMAA on the packaging. Those in the supplements industry say many users stockpiled it before the ban came in.

Mr Leibie said the drug isn't illegal in every country. Source: 7 News
Mr Leibie said the drug isn't illegal in every country. Source: 7 News

"People were quite annoyed to be honest," supplements provider Tayley Howard said.

"I know they were trying to stock up on the products before they got taken off the shelves."

Supplements seller James Russell said DDMA users "think more is better when it's not necessarily the case and mixing different pre-workouts".

"Like if you were to have two different pre-workouts, you don't know what the combined STIM is and your heart can only handle so much STIMS."