# Natural Health Products



## iasthai (1 Oct 2007)

I've been having a debate with my brother for some time now about using a natural health product.
What we are discussing is the use of a product called naNOx9, which is a nitric oxide product.  We both want to join the Army, but he thinks that using this product to help out with his workouts shouldn't cause problems with the application process, because it's labeled as a natural health product.  But I think that any kind of performance enhancing drug could actually cause a disapproval of enrollment.
I just want to know what other's have to say about this.


Modified Colour
army.ca staff


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## Bruce Monkhouse (1 Oct 2007)

A few things,

1. A "performance enhancing drug" encompasses a very large area. I can guarantee that many soldiers heading to the front gate at Pet would fail the IOC drug testing for enhancement due to the high levels of Tim's caffeine.

2. I could label any banned substance a "natural health product". Be wary of that label.

3.Put it in perspective, 400 years ago, when scurvy was rampant, Vitamin C would have been considered "the most powerful performance enhancing drug ever produced"..............to us its just Vitamin C.

4. I still maintain an interest in this sort of stuff and I personally have never read anything that nitric oxide is being considered as a 'banned' substance, however that can always change. Legally, for now, its no difference than making your whey shake.

Does anyone else know different?


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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

Its not banned by any organization that I can think of nor is it illegal, however, I would caution against its use especially since, some reports suggest it can be a contributing factor in compartment syndrome, or that the vary least aggravate if you have already been disagnosed with the problem (I found this out the hard way.)  As well speaking on this topic there was a very eye opening article in last months issue of mens health on the subject of supplements.

Posted with the usual caveats

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=nutrition&category=vitamins.supplements&conitem=899d9a8e051b4110VgnVCM10000013281eac____



> Beyond Balco
> 
> The untold dietary-supplement scandalBy: Jeff O'Connell, Photographs by: Greg Miller
> ADVERTISEMENTWARNING: If you think only home-run kings juice it before they jack it, try this on for size: Your muscle supplements might contain designer steroids, too.
> ...


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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

continued



> In many cases, the problem starts at the supplier. "Most of the small manufacturers don't test raw materials coming through the door," says Jeff Feliciano, formerly the director of research and quality assurance for Weider Global Nutrition. Instead, these firms rely on paperwork called a certificate of analysis. This is a supplier's written promise of an ingredient's quality and purity. Unfortunately, it's just that: a promise. "There's an old saying: Anyone with a printer can produce a certificate of analysis," says Warren Majerus, an auditor with a nonprofit organization that inspects supplement plants worldwide.
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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

continued



> In many cases, the problem starts at the supplier. "Most of the small manufacturers don't test raw materials coming through the door," says Jeff Feliciano, formerly the director of research and quality assurance for Weider Global Nutrition. Instead, these firms rely on paperwork called a certificate of analysis. This is a supplier's written promise of an ingredient's quality and purity. Unfortunately, it's just that: a promise. "There's an old saying: Anyone with a printer can produce a certificate of analysis," says Warren Majerus, an auditor with a nonprofit organization that inspects supplement plants worldwide.
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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

last one



> The problem is the bottom third of what is a huge industry, one whose fringe products are the spawn of amateur chemistry experiments using pharmaceutical-strength ingredients. "There are guys tarnishing the reputation of the whole industry because they're making potentially dangerous products in their home kitchens," says a former researcher at Yale University school of medicine, who requested anonymity since he now consults with supplement companies on product formulations. What's more, these lower-tier manufacturers often thrive on loopholes in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
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## iasthai (1 Oct 2007)

That's really good info, Hatchet.
I'm also going to email a recruiter just to get a more clear picture.


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## TN2IC (1 Oct 2007)

I have cycle on NO before I did my testing and came out fine. But note it was a few months before the test. And my understanding it is not illegal to sell in the store, so may be you should be fine..... may be.


Regards,
TN2IC


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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

NO products are basically in the same category as creatine, perfectly legal to use, now whether or not it works as advertised is subject to debate and varies from person to person, and product to product.


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## TN2IC (1 Oct 2007)

Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> NO products are basically in the same category as creatine, perfectly legal to use, now whether or not it works as advertised is subject to debate and varies from person to person, and product to product.



Indeed.

+1


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## niceasdrhuxtable (1 Oct 2007)

I've always been baffled how people carry the "natural" flag head long into argument to imply that it couldn't possibly do any harm. Nature isn't completely innocuous as evidenced by the wide variety of toxic and noxious plants and naturally occurring substances. I don't know anything about this product and I'm not making any claims to how healthy it is for you but to dismiss any idea of it having a negative implication because it's "natural" is reckless. Research it as much as you can and if you're still in doubt, don't bother with it. It's not like it's insulin for you; I'm sure you'll survive without it.

PS You know what else is "natural"? Arsenic and cyanide!


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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

I guess you missed the 4 posts that described, just how dangerous supplements are.  Way to use your powers of observation there.  :


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## medicineman (1 Oct 2007)

The other thing about natural health products is that they are unregulated.  Therefore, you could in fact just be getting a gelatin capsule with flour and caffiene for all are concerned as they don't have to meet Health Canada guidelines for drugs - that they have to prove that the active ingredient, in the dose they claim to have in it, does in fact prove to be true within a certain +/- range as they would with agents as simple as aspirin.  In essence, buyer beware.

MM


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## TN2IC (1 Oct 2007)

medicineman said:
			
		

> The other thing about natural health products is that they are unregulated.  Therefore, you could in fact just be getting a gelatin capsule with flour and caffiene for all are concerned as they don't have to meet Health Canada guidelines for drugs - that they have to prove that the active ingredient, in the dose they claim to have in it, does in fact prove to be true within a certain +/- range as they would with agents as simple as aspirin.  In essence, buyer beware.
> 
> MM



Thanks MM... I learn something new tonight.


Regards,
TN2IC


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## iasthai (1 Oct 2007)

Ok, if someone were to be using this product for, lets say 3 months, and goes into a recruiting office to have a medical exam, and when tested, it was found.  Would the recruiters see this drug in ones system as a possible medical problem for enrollment.  In a sense, would they look at this in the same way they would look at someone who is on medication?


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## The_Falcon (1 Oct 2007)

No, its not a drug, the main active ingredient in NO products is the the amino acid L-Arginine.  Dude you are stressing way too much, NO is just like taking creatine.  Now if you were taking say pro-hormones or steroids, then you would be right to be concerned.  If anything they will probably say, don't waste your money on it while you are in training.


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## iasthai (1 Oct 2007)

Ok, thanks, that's all I needed to know.


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## TN2IC (2 Oct 2007)

Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> Now if you were taking say pro-hormones or steroids, then you would be right to be concerned.



Example, M1T would be a red flag.


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## The_Falcon (2 Oct 2007)

TN2IC said:
			
		

> Example, M1T would be a red flag.



Especially since Health Canada put out and advisory about a month or two ago, saying they have gotten reports of guys going sterile after taking it, and M1D.


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## TN2IC (2 Oct 2007)

Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> Especially since Health Canada put out and advisory about a month or two ago, saying they have gotten reports of guys going sterile after taking it, and M1D.



Good thing I havn't cycle on it. Thanks for the info. It is hard at times to keep in touch with what is what these days.


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