California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law restricting the sale of certain muscle-building supplements to minors, raising concerns about the safety and labeling of these products.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has enacted legislation aimed at limiting the sale of specific muscle-building supplements to individuals under 18 years of age. The law, known as AB 2030, was signed on September 28 and will take effect on January 1, 2027.
The new regulations target over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements that are marketed for weight loss or muscle building. The governor’s office highlighted the potential dangers of nonprescribed and medically unapproved products, noting that these items may lead to serious side effects, mislabeling, or contamination with substances such as steroids.
Under AB 2030, minors will have restricted access to supplements that are labeled or marketed for muscle building or weight loss. The law specifies that courts may evaluate whether a product contains ingredients such as creatine, green tea extract, raspberry ketone, garcinia cambogia, or green coffee bean extract. However, it does not impose a blanket ban on all creatine products; the restrictions depend on how these supplements are marketed to consumers.
Importantly, the law does not apply to minors who possess a prescription for an over-the-counter diet pill or dietary supplement intended for weight loss or muscle building. The legislation comes in response to research indicating that nearly one in ten adolescents have used such products, with studies linking the use of over-the-counter diet pills to a significantly increased risk of developing eating disorders within three years.
While the announcement of the law does not clarify whether whey protein or creatine products fall under the new restrictions, sellers who fail to comply with the regulations may face civil fines of up to $500 per violation.
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), based in Maryland, has publicly opposed the law. Robert Marriott, the association’s vice president of regulatory and government affairs, criticized AB 2030 for lacking scientific justification, arguing that it casts a negative light on safe and beneficial products. He pointed out that the law’s scope is ambiguous and does not explicitly exempt protein products.
Conversely, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), located in Washington, D.C., has expressed support for the new legislation. Jensen Jose, a regulatory counsel at CSPI and co-sponsor of the law, stated that manufacturers of these products often target children and teenagers with misleading claims that lack scientific backing.
Dr. Sigrid Wolf, a pediatric sports medicine physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, has also weighed in on the issue of creatine use among teenagers. She noted that the evidence supporting the benefits of creatine is limited and cautioned that it can have negative side effects, including weight gain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Dr. Wolf emphasized the importance of prioritizing proper nutrition, training, sleep, and hydration over reliance on supplements.
As the implementation date approaches, the conversation surrounding the safety and regulation of dietary supplements for minors continues to evolve, with stakeholders on both sides of the debate voicing their concerns and support.
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