Chances are, you take a multivitamin or some sort of supplement to bolster your overall health. Perhaps you rely on vitamin D or a magnesium supplement, or maybe your doctor recommended that you pick something to help with nagging joint pain. However, if you've been taking a particular supplement for arthritis and joint pain, you'll want to proceed with caution. According to a new notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), C&A Naturistics is voluntarily recalling all lots of its AK Forte dietary supplements.
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In the Oct. 16 notice, the FDA confirmed that the 400-mg tablets were sold to consumers nationwide via Etsy and eBay. The supplements were "tainted" with diclofenac, dexamethasone, and methocarbamol, meaning they cannot be marketed as dietary supplements.
Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like aspirin and ibuprofen that is often used to treat mild to moderate pain or inflammation. However, it can also spike the risk of serious cardiovascular events and gastrointestinal damage such as "bleeding, ulceration, and fatal perforation of the stomach and intestines," the FDA said. Diclofenac can also interact with other medications, especially if you take another product containing an NSAID.
Per the FDA notice, the second ingredient, dexamethasone, is a "corticosteroid" that is used to treat inflammatory conditions. It presents dangers as it "can impair a person’s ability to fight infections and can cause high blood sugar levels, muscle injuries, and psychiatric problems." If it's taken for a long period of time and at high doses, it can also affect the adrenal gland, which helps regulate several functions such as metabolism, blood pressure, and stress response. When you stop taking it suddenly, you can also experience withdrawal symptoms, the FDA warned.
The third ingredient, methocarbamol, is actually a muscle relaxant, which can "impair mental and physical abilities" like driving.
The AK Forte supplement is branded for joint pain and arthritis and also advertises "Ortiga" and "Omega 3." The FDA has previously warned against the use of Ortiga, which is an "unapproved product promoted for a variety of health conditions." It is typically labeled in Spanish, as it is on the AK Forte supplements, and manufactured in Mexico.
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While C&A Naturistics hasn't received any reports of adverse events related to the recall, the FDA notes, "AK Forte tablets is an unapproved new drug for which safety and efficacy have not been established and, therefore, subject to recall."
If you took these supplements to treat your joint pain, you should "immediately consult" your doctor to safely stop using them.
"The risks of withdrawal from corticosteroids should be assessed by a healthcare professional," the FDA notice reads. "Only licensed health care professionals can evaluate patients for the risk, or confirm the existence, of adrenal suppression."
The FDA said C&A Naturistics is notifying distributors and customers of the recall and arranging for the return and replacement. If you have these supplements in your medicine cabinet, the health agency recommends returning them to your place of purchase or throwing them out. You can identify products thanks to the multicolored packaging, which features the AK logo in gold with a crown over the two letters. The supplements came in packs of 100 tablets.
Questions about the recall can be sent to C&A Naturistics via the contact information listed in the FDA notice.
