Class Action: GNC Conceals Dangerous Ingredients in Supplements

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General Nutrition Corporation faces a putative class action lawsuit over claims that the nutrition company intentionally omits dangerous ingredients included in its dietary supplements.

Lead plaintiff Chris Lynch of Iowa filed the General Nutrition Corporation class action lawsuit after purchasing a GNC supplement product marketed under the name “Redline Ultra Hardcore.”

Lynch claims he reviewed the information available about the fat loss and energy supplement and even spoke to a GNC sales representative about Redline Ultra Hardcore before purchasing. He states that at no time was he told the product contained the potentially illegal ingredients Picamilon and BMPEA.

According to the GNC supplement class action lawsuit, Picamilon is currently a prescription drug in Russia that is used to treat various neurological conditions. It has not been approved in the United States as either a prescription or over-the-counter medication.

Lynch claims that GNC knew Picamilon was not a legal dietary ingredient in the United States yet sold thousands of units of products that contained the ingredient. The GNC class action lawsuit states: “These products were falsely labeled and sold as if they were lawful dietary supplements when in fact they were not.”

Ingredient BMPEA is chemically similar to amphetamine, and is synthetically produced and not found naturally, according to the supplement class action lawsuit. Lynch states that it was originally designed in the 1930s as a replacement for amphetamine, but for unknown reasons it was never studied in humans.

The GNC class action lawsuit claims that the World Anti-Doping Agency banned athletes from using BMPEA because of its amphetamine-like qualities. Lynch further states, “Under federal law, any dietary supplement that contains BMPEA is deemed to be adulterated and may not be lawfully sold in the United States.”

According to the GNC supplement class action lawsuit, GNC failed to disclose the dangerous nature of the ingredients Picamilon and BMPEA. Lynch alleges this action constitutes fraud, negligent misrepresentation as well as unfair, unlawful, fraudulent, and deceptive business practices.

The plaintiff is also suing GNC for unjust enrichment over allegations that he, along with potential Class Members, paid a premium price for supplements containing Picamilon and BMPEA. Lynch states that GNC profited by intentionally omitting the dangerous ingredients included in supplements.

This is one of many lawsuits filed against the GNC regarding supplement ingredients. Currently, the dietary supplement giant is facing a mulitdistrict litigation, along with Walmart and Target, stemming from allegations that certain supplements falsely claim to contain natural ingredients.

Other recent GNC class action lawsuits have accused the company of marketing supplements that misrepresent their potential for muscle growth along with selling diet pills that cause liver damage.

If approved, the GNC supplement class action lawsuit will be open to all consumers residing in the United States who purchased GNC products containing Picamilon or BMPEA.

Lynch has also proposed a subclass that will be open to all Class Members residing within the state of Iowa who purchased GNC products containing Picamilon or BMPEA.

Lynch is represented by Charles E. Schaffer of Levin Fishbein Sedran & Berman.

The GNC Supplement Class Action Lawsuit is Lynch v. General Nutrition Corporation, Case No. 2:15-cv-01466, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.