The FDA recently seized an imported weight-gain supplement, Apetamin. What ingredients does this drug contain and what toxidrome could occur in overdose?
According to the cited reference, “Apetamin contains the prescription medication cyproheptadine, the amino acid lysine, and vitamins such as thiamine (vitamin B1) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6).” Cyproheptadine is a first-generation antihistamine that can lead to antimuscarinic toxidrome if ingested in large quantity.
American Association of Poison Control Centers. “Apetamin: What to Know About the ‘Miracle’ Drug for Weight Gain.” Poison Control, 2022, https://www.poison.org/articles/apetamin. Accessed July 17, 2023
Contributed by Vincent Gao, Pharm D candidate
Posted in Question Of The Day