Octodrine

Also known as: DMHA, Juglans Regia (English Walnut) bark extract, Aconitum Kusnezoffi, Aconite extract, Aminoisoheptane

Safety Rating: 

For explanations of what these safety ratings mean, click here.

Potential Side effects (based on DMAA): 

Agitation/Aggression

Angina (chest pain)

Anxiety

Chest Pressure

Chest Tightness

Chills

Confusion

Death

Diarrhea

Headache

Heart attack

High blood pressure

Increased eye pressure

Insomnia 

Liver damage

Muscle Spasms

Nausea/Vomiting

Paranoia

Rapid Breathing

Stomach Pain

Stroke

Tachycardia (rapid heart beat)

Tremors

Overview:

What is it? 

• Octodrine is a stimulant very similar in structure to DMAA. DMAA is banned in many countries including the US due to safety concerns. Octodrine has been touted as “the new DMAA”.
• Octodrine is often marketed as a "natural" product extracterd from Juglans Regia (English Walnut) or Aconite. However, there is no evidence to support this claim: it is more likely that the companies are using lab-made molecules and calling them natural in order to attract people who avoid lab-made chemicals.

Why is it used? Stimulants are popular ingredients in supplements that claim to “promote weight loss”, “increase energy”, or “increase focus”. Once DMAA was banned, supplement companies needed to find a replacement. Because Octodrine is shaped like DMAA, it may work similarly in the body.

What’s the harm? 

• Octodrine’s similarity to DMAA raises concerns that it may also have similar safety issues. DMAA has been banned after being linked to many serious side effects including hemorrhagic stroke, lactic acidosis, and death.
• Octodrine has not been as widely studied as DMAA and it is not strictly regulated like stimulant drugs, so it is currently considered POSSIBLY UNSAFE.
  
• Octodrine can cause a false positive on a drug test for Amphetamine and Methamphetamine because all 3 are shaped similarly.

Interactions with health conditions:

ADHD: May cause or increase side effects from ADHD medications.

Diabetes:

• Appetite suppression may make blood sugar more difficult to control.
• Increased blood pressure could worsen conditions like diabetic neuropathy.

Eating Disorders:

• Patients with a history of disordered eating are at higher risk of heart problems when taking Octodine.
• Appetite suppression from Octodrine my trigger a relapse into disordered eating, or worsen existing disordered eating.

Heart problems:

• May increase blood pressure
• May increase heart rate

Insomnia: Could cause insomnia or make it worse.

Kidney Disease: Octodrine can raise your blood pressure, which can weaken the blood vessels to the kidneys, damaging them. Damaged kidneys will not be able to properly filter blood, which can lead to rising levels of toxins in the body. For more information on kidney damage, click here.

Mental Health: Octodrine could increase levels of neurotransmitters (chemical brain messengers) like serotonin and dopamine. If the levels become imbalanced it could worsen existing mental health symptoms or cause new ones. Some specific examples include:

• Increase risk of mania in bipolar disorder
• In patients with schizophrenia, PEA could cause
  • Hallucination: seeing and/or hearing things that do not exist
  • Delusion: false beliefs that are not rooted in reality

Surgery: Octodrine could interfere with surgery because it may effect the central nervous system. or blood vessels (tightening or relaxing them depending on many factors).

Drug Interactions:

ADHD medications: Combining Octodrine with ADHD medications may:

• increase blood pressure
• worsen other medication side effects such as insomnia and loss of appetite

Anxiety medications: Octodrine may increase anxiety, requiring higher or more frequent doses of anti-anxiety medications

Blood Pressure medications: Octodrine may raise blood pressure, working against the effects of blood pressure medications.

Heart Rate Control medications: Octodrine may increase heart rate, working against medications meant to lower heart rate. These medications include Beta Blockers, some CCBs like Diltiazem and Verapamil, and Digoxin.

Sleep medications: Octodrine could worsen insomnia, requiring higher doses of sleep medications

Stimulants: Combining Octodrine with other stimulants can increase side effects and risk of heart attack, stroke, or seizure. Stimulant drugs are often used for ADHD and weight loss. For a list of stimulant medications, click here.

Interactions with herbs/supplements:

Stimulants: Combining a stimulant like Octodrine with other herbal stimulants could worsen the side effects from both ingredients. Examples include:

• Coffee
• Bitter Orange
• DMAA
• Green tea extract
• Guarana

• PEA

 For a list of stimulant herbal ingredients, click here.

Interactions with foods: None Known

Interactions with lab tests

Urine drug tests: Octodrine may cause a false positive for Amphetamine and Methamphetamine on a drug test. 

References:

1. *Natural Medicines. (2019, March 11). Octodrine [Monograph]. Natural Standard Professional Monograph. Retrieved from: https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=1538
2. FDA (2018). "DMAA in Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements". Retrieved 03/2019: https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/ProductsIngredients/ucm346576.htm
   
   

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