ROUND-UP Fitness and bodybuilding supplement retailers are being warned to be on the look-out for deadly weight-loss capsules containing 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). DNP is a highly toxic industrial chemical, mainly used as a pesticide. It is illegal to sell it for human consumption, but DNP is being sold in capsule form as a weight-loss supplement and has resulted in a number of deaths in recent years. DNP prevents energy from being stored as fat; instead, it is released as heat. This raises a person’s body temperature, which can result in damage to the cells of their organs and lead to seizures, coma, kidney failure, muscle damage and bone-marrow failure. Once these effects start to develop, they are very difficult to treat and death may occur, despite the best medical treatment. DNP is becoming popular within fitness and bodybuilding communities, and has been sold to people with eating disorders or body- image concerns. It is a myth that users will be safe if it is used in small amounts. Although toxicity is especially common after overdose, severe adverse effects – and even death – have occurred when the drug has been taken in the doses recommended on websites or by suppliers. In 2018, an online retailer was convicted of the manslaughter of a student after supplying DNP capsules as a slimming aid. It is vital that retailers and gym owners only buy supplements from reputable suppliers and that they double check the labels of the supplements they sell. If you suspect someone of supplying DNP for human consumption, call Food Crime Confidential on 020 7276 8787 or CEnTSA’s anonymous hotline on 0300 303 2636. Credit: Stuart Powell, Trading Standards officer iStock.com / kzlmax ROUND-UP AWARE OF CRIME? REPORT IT ANONYMOUSLY TO TRADING STANDARDS The level playing field that nurtures and promotes economic growth and development for businesses, locally and nationally, is maintained by Trading Standards. It partly does this by offering advice and assistance to honest and legitimate traders who request guidance on legislation, and by assisting those traders who need a little help to become compliant. Where businesses choose to trade outside the law and ignore the advice and guidance given, Trading Standards tackles them by using appropriate enforcement action. A lack of willingness and cooperation to comply with trading law – and any engagement in criminal activity – undermines and harms legitimate trade. This inevitably leads to honest businesses being disadvantaged and having to compete against traders who offer inferior goods and services. To survive, the honest business may be forced to lower its standards or its quality of product, resulting in unsatisfied consumers. Left unchecked, this leads to a loss in consumer confidence, and has resulted in certain trade sectors being mistrusted. By working with Trading Standards, legitimate businesses that believe their sector is being damaged and undermined by unscrupulous traders, can help focus and target Trading Standards’ resources, and reduce the harm being inflicted upon their profession. Those who believe their profession’s reputation is being damaged and undermined by illegitimate traders working outside the law, can report them via the anonymous, automated hotline 0300 303 2636, or by using the online reporting system. www.centsa.org.uk/ Report foul play to create a level playing field for all. Credit: Brandon Cook, Trading Standards officer Beware deadly weight-loss capsules For further information please contact your local Trading Standards Service SUMMER 2019 ROUND-UP