Health officials warn that arthritis medications taken by up to one in four adults in the U.S. may contain harmful ingredients that are not printed on their labels.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spent 10 years studying the ingredients of over-the-counter arthritis and pain medications and found that 22 contained active ingredients such as corticosteroids and muscle relaxants.
The agency warned that failing to label these ingredients could put the 58 million Americans with arthritis at risk of serious health problems such as kidney and liver problems. It could also prove dangerous for those who are already taking medications containing these ingredients.
“It is clear from the results of our decades of testing that retailers and distributors, including online marketplaces, cannot effectively prevent the sale of these types of potentially harmful products to consumers,” the FDA wrote.
“The FDA cannot test all products on the market that contain potentially harmful hidden ingredients.” Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for contaminated products cover only a small portion of contaminated over-the-counter products on the market.”
Many of the 22 affected products were advertised and sold in retail stores and online marketplaces such as Etsy and Amazon. They may contain unknown ingredients from the NSAID family, steroids and muscle relaxants
The FDA warned that failing to label ingredients like NSAIDs, steroids and muscle relaxants could put the 58 million Americans with arthritis at risk of serious health problems. It could also prove dangerous for those who are already taking medications containing these ingredients
“Even if a product is not included in this list, consumers should exercise caution before using these types of products for arthritis and pain management.”
Many of the affected products were advertised and sold in retail stores and online marketplaces such as Etsy and Amazon. They may contain unknown ingredients from the NSAID family, steroids and muscle relaxants.
NSAIDs are medications used to reduce inflammation and treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, headaches, and muscle injuries. Common examples that might be hidden in arthritis medications include ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, piroxicam, and ketorolac.
The FDA warned that these could interact with other medications and increase the risk of certain health conditions such as heart problems and liver damage. In addition, the agency also warns that pregnant women should avoid taking NSAIDs in the first half of pregnancy.
Corticosteroids are also anti-inflammatory medications that can treat severe arthritis and other types of pain. Dexamethasone and prednisone are two of the most common examples. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), when taken for long periods or in high doses, they can cause extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
Unlike anabolic steroids, which are synthetic variations of male sex hormones that promote muscle growth, corticosteroids are used to treat health conditions such as allergies, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and autoimmune diseases.
Muscle relaxants treat muscle pain and swelling, as well as injuries such as lower back pain. These can cause sedation, dizziness and low blood pressure.
Arthritis is the swelling or tenderness of one or more joints. There are more than 100 subtypes, the most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The most common symptoms are pain, redness, heat, stiffness, reduced mobility and swelling in the joints. Federal data suggests that 25 million adults have to limit their daily activities due to arthritis symptoms, and that number is expected to rise by 2040.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the disease affects 24 percent of adults in the United States, or about 54 million. The condition most commonly occurs in adults over 65 years of age. The CDC estimates that half of all people over 65 in the United States have the condition, while nearly a third of those ages 45 to 65 have been diagnosed.
Treatment includes over-the-counter and prescription medications and activity management. In high doses they can cause sedation and dizziness. They have also been shown to lower blood pressure, which can cause weakness, fainting, blurred vision and nausea.
Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is a degenerative disease that causes joint tissue to break down over time. Another common form, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks healthy cells in the body’s joints, causing swelling and inflammation. RA can also cause heart, lung and eye problems.
The FDA encouraged consumers to report side effects through its MedWatch reporting program.